SEVEN months after gay
handbag designer Harl Taylor
was found stabbed to death in
his home, police believe they
are close to solving his murder,
along with the brutal killings of
three other reportedly gay men.
This was revealed last night
by the head of the homicide
squad, Asst Supt Leon Bethel.
Despite widespread specula-
tion that the murders of Tay-
lor, college professor Dr Thad-
deus McDonald, AIDS activist
.rellington Adderley and wait-
SMarvin Wilson are connect-
1, ASP Bethel said investiga-
tprs are still treating them as
individual cases due to lack of
I
---- ~M ~-------I

evidence to corroborate the the-
ory.
"We are looking at the (mur-
ders) individually, and if any-
thing develops later then, of
course, you will be informed,
but at this time they are being
looked at individually and then
as we go along we will try to
compare them to see what the
investigations tell us, but none
of them have been linked at this
stage."
Sources contend that police
have questioned the son of a
prominent Bahamian lawyer in
connection with Taylor's mur-
SEE page 11

PLP chairman calls
or Collie's resignation
I By BRENT DEAN
Tribune Staff Reporter
bdean@tribunemedia.net
PLP chairman Glenys Hanna,-
vlartin is calling for the resignation
of Local Government Minister Sid-
iey Collie in the wake of a Supreme
Court ruling that halted local gov-
ernment elections in nine districts.
"I believe the minister responsi-
ble for local government must now
SEE page 10

TRIBUNE publisher Eileen
Carron receives her award
from Chamber of Commerce
president Dionisio D'Aguilar.
Photo: Franklyn G Ferguson JP
THE TRIBUNE'S
publisher and chairman,
Eileen Carron, won the
Bahamas Chamber of
Commerce's Busi-
nessperson of the Year
award for 2008 over the
weekend.
At a lavish dinner and
ceremony at the Sandals
Royal Bahamian Resort
on Saturday night, Mrs
Carron beat off stiff com-
petition from David Pin-
der, owner and founder
of Pinder Tile, and James
Rolle, of Rolle's Auto
Parts and Accessories, to
land the coveted award.
Other notable award-
winners included
SEE page two

Two weekend
shootings leave
men in hospital
* By TANEKA THOMPSON
and DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Staff Reporters
tthompson@tribunemedia.net
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A MALE resident of Grand
Bahama and a Nassau man are
both in hospital nursing gun-
shot wounds following two sep-
arate shootings over the week-
end.
Jahson Agenor, 28, of
Podoleo Street, Nassau, is in
serious condition after he was
shot and stabbed several times
during an altercation outside an
East Street nightspot yesterday
SEE page 13

Man found

dead in an

apparent

suicide

E By BRENT DEAN
Tribune Staff
Reporter
bdean@tribunemedia.net
KEVIN JONES, 35, a
well-liked employee of
Bahamas Food Services,
was found dead in his
apartment on Saturday j
afternoon from what
police suspect was a self-
inflicted shotgun wound.
Mr Jones, known to his
friends as KJ, was found
dead by his former girl-
friend at his apartment at
Margaret Avenue, off
Carmichael Road, just

another co-worker by a from his apartment.
superior at the company
to look for him on Saturday after Mr Jones had not shown up to
work for several days.
She and Mr Jones had recently broken up from a long-terma
relationship. And, according to friends, Mr Jones was upset that the
relationship had ended.
A neighbour who saw Mr Jones, but did not wish to be named,
told The Tribune that his former girlfriend entered the apartment
and discovered Mr Jones after co-workers were knocking in attempt
When the neighbour entered his bedroom she said she saw Mr
SEE page 13

Lr* e OTwo killed

AFTER months of specu-
lation, Prime Minister
Hubert Ingraham will
announce this evening his
eagerly-awaited Cabinet
shuffle.
This was confirmed last
night by an announcement
from Bahamas Information
Services.
This will be the first
realignment of the Cabinet
in Mr Ingraham's third gov-
ernment and it is likely to
include major changes to the
portfolios of senior ministers
SEE page 11

in traffic

accidents
* By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net
TWO Family Island residents
were killed during separate traf-
fic accidents in Long Island and
Eleuthera over the weekend,
becoming the nation's 20th and
21st traffic fatalities for the year.
According to police, 47-year-
old Elizabeth Bowles died after
being struck by a truck around
9.30pm Friday in Long Island.
Bowles was cycling north along
Queen's Highway when the col-
lision occurred, Acting Assis-
tant Commissioner Hulan Han-
na told the media.
SEE page 10

FROM page one
Arawak Homes chairman
Franklyn Wilson, who was giv-
en a Lifetime Achievement
Award by the Chamber.
In the other award cate-
gories, luxury goods retailer
John Bull defeated Common-
wealth Bank and Doctors
Hospital to win the Business
of the Year award for compa-
nies with 51 employees or
more.
In the section for companies

with 50 or fewer employees,
Eagle Electrical Supplies and.
Lighting Centre saw off Nas-
sau Ready Mix Concrete and
furniture retailer Wood You
to land its Business of the
Year prize.
And Christian Sawyer, head
of Sunryse Shredding Services,
took home the Entrepreneur
of the Year Award, ahead of
Tribune columnist Sarah,.
Simpson, founder of The Der-
mal Clinic, and Tanyai:
Klonaris of My Ocean Soap
and Candle Factory.

50 % a 75% OFF

SALRUS _

Jun 2.0u1

Giving You the Best Prices for Over 70 Years
Collins Ave and Fifth Terrace Tel: 326-6859 9am-5pm Mon-Sat

PAGE 2, MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008

THE TRIBUNE

THETRBUE MNDYJUN 3, 008 PGE3

o In brief

Burglars rob
man and

house guests

at gunpoint

BY DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport
Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FREEPORT Armed bur-
glars broke into a home at
Fortune Point early Sunday
morning and robbed a man
and his house guests at gun-
point.
Chief Supt Basil Rahming
said the incident occurred
around 3.30am at the home of
Ernest Cooper.
Mr Rahming said Mr Coop-
er was asleep at home when
he was awakened by the
sound of breaking glass.
Mr Cooper told police that
two dark males, one armed
with a shotgun and the other
with a cutlass, demanded cash.
They robbed him and his
two house guests of an unde-
termined amount of money
and other personal items.
Mr Cooper said the culprits
escaped in his rented grey Nis-
san Almera (licence SD1189).
Mr Rahming said police lat-
er discovered the vehicle
around 4.46am abandoned on
Coral Fish Street in Caravel
Beach.
He said an island-wide
search, is underway for the cul-
prits.

Search for

Louisiana bank

president

suspended

THE search for Louisiana
bank president Paul Caillis,
who was reported missing at
sea in Bahamian waters, has
been suspended by the US
Coast Guard.
According to American
reports, the search was sus-
,_pended at 8pm Friday.
Mr Caillis, 39, reportedly
fell off the private yacht Miss
Glo on Wednesday night a
few miles off Great Inagua.
International reports state
.Mr Caillis was alone on deck
and not wearing a life-jacket
when the yacht was rocked by
a 12-foot wave. He was report-
ed missing around 7pm by
crew members.
On Thursday, the Cuban
government joined the US
Coast Guard in their land and
sea search for the married
father-of-three.
The search reportedly cov-
ered 2,820 square miles before
it was suspended.
On Friday the FBI con-
firmed they were investigating
the circumstances surrounding
his disappearance.
Mr Caillis is president and
CEO of United Community
Bank in Gonzales, Louisiana.
American reports state he
was part of a diving expedition
with one of his brothers on the
yacht en route to the Cayman
Islands from Turks and
Caicos.

Woman, 61,

arrested after
drugs allegedly
discovered

FREEPORT A 61-year-
old Bimini woman was arrest-
ed after drugs were allegedly
found at a residence in Alice
Tov.a.
Police received an anony-
mous call around 1pm on Fri-
day reporting that a woman
was selling drugs to a tourist
from her home.
Chief Supt Basil Rahming,
police press liaison officer,
said officers obtained a search
warrant for a property on
Sherman Lane.
Police seized seven ounces
of packaged marijuana and 15

grams of crack cocaine and
arrested the female occupant
on suspicion of possessing
dangerous drugs.
The woman has been flown
to Grand Bahama, where she
will be formally charged in
Freeport Magistrate's Court
today.

Fetlzr.Fniie

I est 'ontr '

Tears flow as five-year wait comes to an end during private viewing

Families of murdered

missing boys finally see

remains of loved ones

* BY DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter "TI
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FREEPORT Families of teal
four murdered missingtA) M tiv lhe
viewed the remains of t eir
loved ones for the first time
since they were recovered by
police five years ago in East
Grand Bahama.
A private viewing was held
at Restview Memorial Mortu-
ary at 3pm on Sunday for the
mothers and close relatives -
some of whom travelled from
New Providence, the United
States and Haiti.
The skeletal remains of
Mackinson Colas, 11, Junior
Reme, 11, DeAngelo McKcn-
zie, 13, and Desmond Rolle, 14,
were laid out in boxes with their
names attached. '
This is the last time that their "
families will see them before
they are laid to rest on Satur-
day, July 5.
It was a very emotional and I
tearful time for the families, JAKE GI
especially the mothers never fo
Claudette Mitchell, mother of
Mackinson; Charlene Smith, "The
mother of Desmond; Myrthi and tea:
Jean Tinord, mother of Junior; the roc
and Marilyn Davis, maternal But I th
grandmother of DeAngelo. because
The remains of Jake Grant, ly kept
the first of the five schoolboys RevI
to disappear between May and ing the
September, 2003, were never weeks.
found. He ii
Rev Glenroy Bethel, founder on beh
of Families for Justice, said it is Attorni
good that families were finally the rele
able to grieve in the midst of "This
their sons, who have finally ilies hav
come home after five long and it
years, today a

here was a lot of crying and
*s as the families entered
room to see the remains."

i:

RANT, whose remains were
und.
ere was a lot of crying
rs as the families entered
om to see the remains.
link it was good for them
: for five years they real-
it all inside," he said.
Bethel has been assist-
families for the past six
initially made an appeal
alf the families to the
ey General's Office for
ase of the boys' remains.
Sis the first time the fam-
ve ever seen the remains,
will be their last time
t the viewing," he said.

tev Glenroy Bethel

"When they saw the remains
it was like a burden was lifted
and it was good for them to cry
and get it all out."
Rev Bethel said the boys'
remains will be placed in cas-
kets and sealed following the
viewing. The Grand Bahama
Port Authority has agreed to
take care of all funeral costs.
A combined funeral will be
held for the boys at 11am at the
Community at Heart Taberna-
cle Church on Coral Road.
Rev Bethel said he was glad
to be able to assist the families.
"I believe that God made all of
this possible. I serve a God that
is righteous and just, and when
people feel pain He feels it as
well. It feels good to be a part of
this and to assist the families
who have been waiting for five
years. It also strengthens my
call as founder of Families for
Justice to help families get jus-
tice," he said.
Cordell Farrington, who was
convicted of the murder of 22-
year-old Jamaal Robins, has
been charged with the murders
of the four boys.
Four minors charged with
manslaughter in the death of
Jake Grant were discharged in
Magistrate's Court due to insuf-
ficient evidence.

THE TRIBUNE thanks the Bahamas
Chamber of Commerce for choosing its pub-
lisher as Businessperson of the Year at its
37th annual awards banquet on Saturday
night.
However, whatever the Chamber's criteria
for arriving at its decision, the publisher does
not take all the credit for herself as she
sees it, success in her profession is always a
team effort.
The saying that behind every strong man
there is a good woman has been reversed in
her case. She shares her success with a loyal
husband, a son who refuses to let her slip
into comfortable retirement, and a vibrant,
dedicated and hardworking staff. It was on
their behalf that she accepted the Chamber's
award on Saturday night.
In an interview afterwards she was asked
what advice she would give today's young
people who would also want to move for-
ward. "Hard work," was her reply. This is
true, particularly in her case, but really it is
more than that. It starts at the very cradle of
creation and involves caring parents. At its
independence in 1776 the Americans declared
that "all men are created equal." That does
not mean that they are born into the same cir-
cumstances at birth. But whatever their cir-
cumstances they are guaranteed from birth
the same opportunities life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness.
A baby is a miracle of creation. Look at a
newborn's tiny hands, at their beautifully
crafted little fingers. Will those hands be a
force for good or evil? Parents and society
will exert much influence in that outcome.
But as a child grows, it is important to
foster a belief in him of his own self worth.
That he is indeed created in God's image
and that it is important how he exercises his
gift of free will. A young person is intended to
make choices that will lead to his happiness,
but, as is stated in Genesis, this can only be
achieved if he is prepared to work by the
sweat of his brow yes, even if it means for
some starting as hewers of wood and drawers
of water.
Sitting on walls, shooting coke, drinking
rum, and whistling at passing girls is not the
way to success. However, it does lead to a
prison compound, often ending in early death.
Education is important, whether it is edu-
cation for the professions or a trade. It is dif-
ficult today to arrive at the top of any ladder
without sound job training. Inculcating in
every child the rule of the 10 Command-

ments and the consequences of their
breach will help a young person avoid
today's many pitfalls theft, adultery
("sweethearting"), murder, foul language,
coveting other people's goods, failing to
respect one's parents, and other anti-social
behaviour extending from these 10 simple
rules. Several persons were nominated for
the Chamber's two categories of Entrepre-
neur of the Year and Businessperson of the
Year.
Whatever their background, the success of
all of them could be summed up in the words
of Mr David Pinder of Pinder's Tile, who
was nominated for the Businessperson award
- "an honest living comes from hard work."
Added to this is the case of Mr Christiaan
Sawyer of Sunryse Shredding Services, who
was observant and seized an opportunity
when it presented itself.
Mr Sawyer was the winner of the Cham-
ber's Entrepreneur of the Year award.
After graduating from Queen's College
in Nassau, he completed his education in
Canada, qualifying in computer and infor-
mation management. He also had an apti-
tude for sales and customer service, skills he
further developed working part time at Bell
Canada. This was the job that introduced
him to the document destruction industry.,
He said that during one of his shifts, he saw
a representative from a shredding company
come in, empty paper from a cabinet and
return with an invoice.
"Wow," he thought to himself, "you can
make money shedding paper!"
An idea was born. He worked for another
four years in Canada. On the side he
researched document shredding. And on his
return home in December, 1969, the.
Bahamas' first document stredding company
was born. In March 2000 the new company
had its first customer. And on Saturday night,
eight years later, Mr Sawyer, as head of his
successful company, had not only qualified
for, but had won the Chamber's Entrepre-
neur df the Year award.
Mr Sawyer attributes his success to "per-
severance and sheer determination."
And for any young person with ambition
these are the ingredients necessary for suc-
cess. Those who are late for work, take sev-
eral hours off for lunch, leave the job early
and frequently call in sick are on the road to
nowhere.
It's now up to the youth to decide which
road they will follow.

EDITOR, The Tribune.
I MADE my way into town
this morning from Lyford Cay
with the intention of collecting
my dutiable parcel from parcel
post at the Main Post Office.
Imagine my disappointment in
having to return to Lyford Cay
without my parcel!
On my arrival at parcel post,
I along with five others who had
also come to collect their
parcels, was informed that
parcels were unable to be col-
lected due to an absence of cus-
toms officers.
The customs officers, it
seems, were all at a day-long
seminar.
I have no objection to offi-
cers participating in seminars,
especially if these will help them
to better perform their duties;
however, in a country where

every parcel has to be inspected
by a customs officer, I find it
unacceptable that all the offi-
cers should attend these semi-
nars on the same day.
It is unfortunate too that no
notice was given to Parcel Post
about the absence of their offi-
cers.
I felt quite sorry for the poor
staff members and their super-
visors who I'm sure had to deal
with several disappointed and
possibly irate customers through
the day.
I'm sure I'm not the only
person who made a long expen-
sive (gas and time) trip for
naught.

I'm writing to you on the
advice of a member of the par-
cel post staff who felt perhaps
more notice would be taken if
the complaint came from a
member of the public.
The woman with whom I
spoke at the office of the Comp-
troller of Customs was quite
surprised to hear of the situa-
tion but was unable to remedy
it.
I would very much like to be
able to collect my parcel (which
I believe is a duty free book)
the next time I make the trip in
to Parcel Post so I hope cus-
toms will take note and will
have officers present perform-
ing their expected duties.
LINDA
GILL-ARANHA
Nassau,
June 25, 2008.

A visit to the passport office is an

exercise in stress management

EDITOR, The Tribune
For anyone who feels the
need to brush up on their stress
handling and anger manage-
ment skills, I highly recommend
a visit to the passport office.
When my passport expired
last year I consoled myself with
the thought "you won't have to
do it again for another ten
years", well I was wrong, they
would only renew for one year
as the system was moving to the
new card readable type pass-
port.
This year on my first visit I
had to standing line for more
than an hour to apply for an
appointment six weeks later to

submit my application. Having
waited patiently 'till the
appointed day I presented
myself, application form, pho-
tos, old passport in hand, waited
another hour and a half before
being able to submit my docu-
ments, and was told to return
in four weeks to collect the new
passport.
Yesterday, having stood in
line for better than half an hour,
I finally got close enough to the
counter to read through the
crush, you know Bahamians
can't have just one queue, a tiny
notice stuck to the glass that
read all new passports should
now be collected five days later
than the collection date listed

on the receipt. In a recent inter-
view the Minister responsible
gave a number of explanations
as to the cause of the delays,
equipment malfunctions being
only one of them. An inade-
quate facility with inadequate
parking and seating, lack of
computerization and indiffer-.
ent idleness are a few other rea-
sons that immediately come to
mind. Or perhaps the main rea-
son is, as the Minister delicate-
ly put it, that "we have to con-
tend with the cultural unique-
ness of our people." Go figure.
IANMABONN.
Nassau,
June 17,2008"

We should all demand better service

EDITOR, the Tribune.
IS it me or the rest of us
Bahamians that the cashiers
don't pack the groceries.
Are they not getting paid
enough that we as consumers
"have" to pack our groceries or
they don't get packed if a
"packing boy" ain't there.
Listen, have you ever been
to Florida?
Those ladies and gentlemen
pack groceries, cash, accept
credit cards, debit cards, etc,
etc. And guess what? The
majority of them are paid $7 -
$8 an.
This message is to anyone
who wants to hear it. If you

don't think you are paying
enough money for groceries,
don't you think you should at
least have someone pack your
groceries while you spend your
"hard earned cash"?
I know that I have had
enough of poor service to now
start demanding better service.
I hope that we all start
demanding better service and
stop feeling bad for people who

"may" be making minimum
wage. If you want to know how
much cashiers are paid check
this site:
http://www.payscale.com/rese
arch/US/Job=Retail -
Cashier/Hourly-Rate
IAN MORE
Nassau,
June 2008.

* By PETURA BURROWS
Tribune Feature Writer
pburrows@tribunemedia.net
YOUNG Bahamian poet and
emerging visual artist Xan-Xi
Bethel will present her work at
the Sine.Qua.Non Gallery on
Elizabeth Avenue tomorrow
from 7pm-
9pm.
This event
is the latest
installment of
month ly
poetry series.,
While Ms
Bethel has i
read her

licly on a
number of
occasions (most recently at the
Express Yourself Concert at The
Hub), tomorrow night will be her
first solo reading.
Ms Bethel told The Tribune
that her poetry will evoke emo-
tion.
It will also show the poet's
recent departure from 'spoken
word' to a more refined style of
poetry.
Ms Bethel, whose poetry is
often viewed as controversial and
blunt, believes the message she
presents is poignant and timely -
especially since the issue of free-
dom of speech in poetry has come
to the forefront in recent months.
Ms Bethel's 19-year old friend
and fellow poet, who reads her
work at Express Yourself, a week-
ly event at the Hub, East Bay
Street, was reportedly under
police investigation concerning
the content of her work.
Ms Bethel also attends Express
Yourself frequently.
Ms Bethel joins fellow
Bahamian poets Jason Evans,
Nadia Brown, Anku Sa Ra,
Dawn Hanna, Christian Wilson
and Arthur Seymour all of
whom presented their poetry at
Sine.Qua.Non this year.
Ms Bethel will also be pre-
senting an art exhibition at
Sine.Qua.Non in August. For
more information, contact
Sine.Qua.Non at 328-8762, or e-
mail art@sinequanongallery.com

BEC blames faulty cable for

Friday's island-wide blackout

Some New Providence residents without power for almost five hours

* By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net
FRIDAY'S island-wide black-
out, which left some residents of
New Providence without power
for almost five hours, was due to
a faulty cable in BEC's Blue Hills
Power Station, officials said yes-
terday.
BEC said an 11,000-voltcable
at Blue Hills "faulted" around
4.13pm Friday, causing damage
to a nearby generator cable.
"The force of the cable fault
caused a nearby 33,000 volts gen-
erator cable to be damaged by a
manhole cover. This resulted in
an island-wide outage as all gen-
erators tripped off line," said the
statement.
"At 4.53pm supplies were
restored to the first set of cus-
tomers.
theirr generators were put in
service as they became available,

FEARS of fire spread at the Nassau courthouses in Bank
Lane on Friday during the island-wide powercut.
A witness working in Cafe Matisse said the generator at one
of the Magistrate's Courts started to smoke when it was turned
on at around 4pm. The fire, believed to be at the rear of Court
Five, was quickly extinguished. The Tribune understands no
one was injured and there was no major damage to the building.

thereby restoring supplies to addi-
tional customers."
The statement acknowledged
stalls in the restoration process
citing safety and technical issues
as the root of the "delays".
"There were delays in the
restoration process, due to safety
and technical reasons, (and) a
number of cables within the Blue
Hills compound had to be isolat-
ed.
"This isolation restricted the

amount of generators that could
be put in service until all testing
were completed."
BEC said by 10pm Friday ser-
vice was restored to most cus-
tomers and apologised for incon-
venience caused by the outage.
"The corporation apologises
for the inconvenience caused as a
result of the outage which was
initiated by the cable fault and
subsequent damage to a 33,000
volts cable."

Grand Bahama: Results of Local

Government elections released

* BY DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FREEPORT OFFICIAL
results of Local Government elec-
tions on Grand Bahama were
released on Friday by officials of
the Parliamentary Registration
Department in Freeport.
There were higher voter
turnouts in Freeport and West
Grand Bahama than in East
Grand Bahama, where there are
fewer residents.
Voters went to the polls on
June 26 to cast their votes for
more than 90 candidates nomi-
nated in various districts.
In Pineridge, William Martin-
borough and Hansel Collie
received the most votes, capturing
the two seats.
Mr Martinborough, a manager
at Colinalmperial, received 439
votes, and Mr Collie, a manager

at BTC, received 422.
In High Rock, incumbent April
Crowther-Gow was re-elected
with 539 votes. Her running mate,
newcomer businessman Fritz
Thompson, was elected with 430.
Elected to represent Marco
City are incumbent Joanna New-
ton-Russell with 358 votes, and
contractor Kevin Rupert with
423.
Those elected were:
Eight Mile Rock (City of
Freeport
District) Urise Mae Farring-
ton (201)
High Rock Constituency
(Sweeting's Cay town
area of East Grand Bahama)
- Howard Bevans (46); Calvin
Mitchell (50); James Pyfrom (42);
Bradley Tate (33); and Shervin
Tate (62).
High Rock (High Rock town
area of
East Grand Bahama) -

* By REUBEN SHEARER
SECURITY measures have
been beefed up in downtown
Nassau as surveillance cameras
that were installed to monitor
the area from two satellite
police stations on Woodes
Rogers Walk were revealed to
the public.
Tourism Minister Branville
McCartney made the announce-
ment yesterday at a press con-
ference held at Woodes Rogers
Walk attended by Inspector
Bevans of the Tourism Police
Unit, Gareth Lewis from
Armoury Security Services, and
officials from the Ministry of
Tourism.
"Safety and security is an
important consideration for
anyone travelling for vacation
or recreation purposes," said
Mr McCartney.
"Travellers want to be in an
environment where they can
reasonably expect to be free
from attack, hostility and
harassment.
"The Ministry of Tourism
and Aviation has been working
hand-in-hand with the dedicat-
ed officers of the Royal

Bahamas Police Force to
achieve this type of environ-
ment, particularly in areas that
are frequented by our guests
from abroad," he said.
Mr McCartney noted that the
surveillance system is the same
that tracked down and identi-
fied suspects in the London sub-
way bombings of 2005.
Surveillance cameras cap-
tured images, and photos of the
suspects were released to the
public, leading to the eventual
capture of the men.
Inspector Bevans, who
described the wharf as the most
challenging area to police, said
that since the cameras were
installed, a decrease in the
harassment of visitors has been
observed.
Five individuals suspected of
criminal activity were appre-
hended after the surveillance
system caught images of them
that were sent out to authori-
ties.
"As officers we are chal-
lenged, and even though we are
spread so thin, these cameras
can surely help us in monitoring
the area," he said.
The installation of the new

cameras is a part of a Closed
Circuit Television (CCTV) pilot
project that will expand to dif-
ferent areas in Nassau in the
coming months and years.
Plans for upgrading security
at the wharf were formulated
by The National Tourism
Development Board who pre-
sented their plans to local
organizations in the private sec-
tor that assisted in funding and
providing equipment.
In addition to the contribu-
tion of security cameras by
Armoury Security, the Hilton
hotel and Pirana Joe built the
two satellite police stations.
Emphasising the importance
of apt security for guests and
vendors, Gareth Lewis, a rep-
resentative from Amoury Com-
pany, said: "Our company is
extremely happy to be involved
with a project like this to bring
additional security to the down-
town area.
"We felt that we were com-
petent enough to adequately
outfit the wharf with surveil-
lance," he said.
"It's a pilot project pro-
gramme so we will be tweaking
the system as we go along."

High security as
Greg Norman
and Chris Evert
tie the knot
GREG NORMAN and
Chris Evert were married on
Saturday at a heavily guarded
wedding at the One and Only
Ocean Club on Paradise
Island.
The multi-million dollar cer-
emony for the golf and tennis
legends was said to have been
attended by former US presi-
dent Bill Clinton, Martina
Navratilova, singers Kenny
Loggins and Gwen Stefani,
along with other celebrity
guests. Officers from the Roy-
al Bahamas Police Force and
Paradise Island Security creat-
ed a checkpoint hundreds of
yards away from the entrance
to the resort to bar media and
spectators from the event.
Defence Force and Coast
Guard vessels were also sta-
tioned along Cabbage Beach,
along with additional security
personnel being posted on
shore.
Norman and Evert, both 53,
are believed to have sold the
exclusive photograph rights to
their wedding to at least one
magazine.
Norman filed for divorce
from his wife of 25 years, Lau-
ra Andrassy, in June, 2006.
Andrassy reportedly collect-
ed $100 million in the divorce
settlement. The former couple
have two children, Morgan-
Leigh and Gregory.
Evert has been married
twice. She was first married to
fellow tennis player John
Lloyd and then to skiing
champ Andy Mill. Evert and
Mill have three sons. For this
time of year, rates at the One
and Only Ocean Club range
from $585 to $10,000 per
night.

BY THE time this is read,
Robert Mugabe would
have proceeded with his farcical
election for the Presidency of
Zimbabwe and been declared
winner by the Elections Com-
mission he controls, despite the
UN Secretary-General's call for a
deferment of the election, and the
condemnation by the Security
Council, including South Africa,
of the violence and intimidation
that characterized it.
The people of Zimbabwe,
already brutalised and terrorised
by Mugabe through the military
and paid-thugs of his regime, now
face increased suffering. The
economy of Zimbabwe will dete-
riorate even more than the des-
perate level to which it has
already sunk. Zimbabwe's clos-
est neighbours will face increasing
strain as Zimbabweans cross their
borders in flight from the disas-
trous conditions in their country.
In a caring world concerned
about the protection of people,
there would have been interna-
tional machinery to deal with this
situation by United Nations inter-
vention in Zimbabwe to end
Mugabe's tyrannical rule, estab-
lish a broad-based interim gov-
ernment, and establish institu-
tions of good governance until
free and fair elections could be
held to elect a majority-supported
government.
There is no such machinery.
The notions of 'sovereignty of
states' and 'non-interference in
the internal affairs of states' con-
tinue to be the guiding principles
of the UN Security Council even
in light of overwhelming evidence
of the disgust of the majority of
the Qor.i's peoples with the fla-
grant abuse of human rigl'tsjn
many countries. Until govern-
ments confront the need to bal-
ance the importance of state sov-
ereignty with the imperative of
protecting people, international
machinery to stop the kind of
abuse that has been witnessed in
Zimbabwe will not be established,
and regimes such as Mugabe's
will continue with catastrophic
consequences.
Zimbabwe is not the only case
that cries out for international
action to protect people from
abuse, torture and death in their
own countries. Mynamar and
Darfur now, and previously,
Rwanda and Kosovo, are all cas-
es that cried out for international
action authorised by an empow-
ered international body.
Eight years ago in 2000, the
then UN Secretary-General, Kofi
Annan, posed the question: "If
humanitarian intervention is,
indeed, an unacceptable assault
on sovereignty, how should we
respond to a Rwanda, to a Sre-
brenica-to gross and systematic
violations of human rights that
offend every precept of our com-
mon humanity?"
Unfortunately, any chance of
the world's governments acting
on Annan's distressing observa-
tion was dealt a mortal blow by
the last eight years of the George
W Bush administration in the
United States which has con-
tributed mightily to the adher-
ence by other governments to the
primacy of state sovereignty and
non-interference in the internal
affairs of states. Bush's doctrine
of "pre-emptive" strikes, his inva-
sion of Iraq without authorisa-
tion by the UN Security Council,
and his government's fabrication
of the presence of weapons of
mass destruction in Iraq as a pre-
text for invasion, have made the
world understandably wary of
intervention. The Bush admin-
istration's actions have sufficiently
scared other governments to back
away from addressing the need
for humanitarian intervention,
lest it be used as an excuse for
asserting the will of the power-
ful.
But, the international commu-
nity's responsibility to act in the
face of the gravest of human
rights violations while respecting
the sovereignty of states, is now
glaring. Despots, such as Mugabe
and the generals in control of
Mynamar, will continue to bru-
talize their people unabated
unless the shield of non-interfer-
ence in the internal affairs of
states is torn away to make them
accountable to global authority.
And, it is the international
community that must act, not
individual states, such as the Unit-
ed States or Russia or China.
Recent history has amply demon-
strated that governments of pow-
erful states are prone to revert to
the unilateral actions of the past

w 0RLD VI E

insi

WORLD VIE1

to advance their own political
ambitions, wrapping them in flim-
sy and false 'national interest'
paper. Cuba, for instance, would
have every right to worry about
intervention from a US adminis-
tration that continues to impose a
trade embargo and to spend tens
of millions of dollars each year
on propaganda that amplifies
human rights violations rather
than engaging in meaningful dia-
logue to end them.
In the same year that Kofi

intervene when any government
turns upon its populace to main-
tain itself in power. In 1994, the
Commission on Global Gover-
nance proposed that the UN
Charter be amended to permit
intervention, restricting such
intervention to cases that consti-
tute a violation requiring a
response on humanitarian
grounds.
Caribbean governments, who
pride themselves in respect for
democracy and upholding of
human rights, are'ideally placed
to put the matter on the world's
agenda. Next year, Trinidad and
Tobago hosts both the Summit
of the Americas and the Com-
monwealth Heads of Govern-
ment Conference they are both
good events for Caribbean gov-
ernments to take the lead in seek-
ing an amendment to the UN
Charter to allow for humanitarian
intervention, and, in so doing,
give the people of places like
Zimbabwe and Mynamar hope
of a better life.
Responses to: ronald-
sanders29@hotmail.com
to:ronaldsanders29@hotmail.com
(The writer is a business con-
sultant and former Caribbean
diplomat)

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MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008, PAGE 7

: .~j~l~l~lll

THE TRIBUNE

The Bahamas education system is an

* By ADRIAN GIBSON
ajbahama@hotmail.com

THE revelation that
fewer than 50 per cent
of the thousands of annual high
school students actually grad-
uate with a diploma is indica-
tive of our archaic educational
system being fatally flawed and
overly institutionalized.
Clearly, the value for life and
education has been relegated
to the trenches when nearly 60
per cent of the nation's high
school graduates finished with
attendance certificates instead
of diplomas, for failing to meet
a cumulative grade point aver-
age (GPA) of 2.0 during six
years of high school.
The Bahamas' educational
system is a problem-ridden,
inadequate sham. At the rate
reflected by recent graduation
statistics, it's apparent that our
current educational set-up is
producing hordes of arithmeti-
cally-challenged, illiterate
halfwits who are ill-equipped
to enter the workforce and
unqualified to manage our
country's affairs.
According to Government
High School principal Geoffrey
McPhee, the declining number
of graduating seniors is clearly
linked to a domestic break-
down, seemingly suggesting
that in addition to a significant
number of graduates without
high school diplomas that the
dropout rate may have bloat-
ed. Why were these students
even allowed to walk during
the recent commencement

YOUNG MAN'S VIEW

AD R I

AN

GIBSON

"It is a misconception to
assume that every Bahamian
is studious enough to become
a doctor, lawyer, educator, or
to attend university."

exercises?
At the most recent report
card day, I was dismayed to
have seen several reports
reflecting a 0.0 grade point
average. Honestly, as in past
years, I am once again antici-
pating the unacceptable, now
infamous, low national average
results in both the BGCSE and
BJC examinations. Indeed, it
appears that this is another year
of Ds or worse!
As I've previously noted,
only the most scholarly of stu-
dents should be permitted to
sit the BGCSE/BJC exams. To
truly diversify and establish a
more comprehensive educa-
tional system, the government
and private entities should also
construct technical and voca-
tional schools (visual/perform-
ing arts) to teach the less book-

ish, academically-disinclined
students a trade/skill.
It is a misconception to
assume that every Bahamian is
studious enough to become a
doctor, lawyer, educator, or to
attend university. There will
always be a need for repairmen,
handymen, plumbers, masons
and so on. At grade nine, teach-
ers and administrators should
be able to gauge a student's
abilities, and thereby separate
the more scholarly students
from those with technical and
vocational leanings.
Moreover, consideration
should be given to establishing
a pilot programme, where male
and female students are edu-
cated at separate schools/class-
SEE page 9

es. This possibly will revolu-
tionise education and lead to
greater productivity, as students
of both sexes would have fewer
distractions and spend less time
seeking to impress one another.
What always amazes me is
when certain "fully supportive"
parents facilitate and sponsor
their under-achieving children
in spendthrift, materialistic
exhibitions the prom. If
these parents would have
expressed the same fervour in
ensuring that their child com-
pleted assignments, studied and
excelled beyond the minimum
GPA requirements as they do
in these pretentious displays,
the national average GPA
would be one that all Bahami-
ans could proudly proclaim.
I'm always mystified by
accounts of fanatical parents
who "break the bank" or bor-
row funds to satisfy their many
times dumb child in an attempt
to outdo another student or
even another parent, while
starving or tinkering on the
brink of bankruptcy after their
wasteful night of self-indulgent
glee.
The prom represents a false
value system. The prom festiv-
ities is where parents of stu-
dents who are unqualified to
graduate or claim to be unable
to purchase learning resources
at the beginning of the school
year can all of a sudden bor-
row money for their daugh-
ters/sons to put on a spectacular
show. Amidst all of this hedo-
nism, the students are not being
prepared for life.
Lately, I've seen or been told
stories of persons arriving at
the prom in a helicopter, of a
girl sitting in the bed of a truck
in a glass-like box that emu-
lates Barbie (doll), of couples
arriving to junkanoo rush-outs
and couples pulling up in lim-
ousines led by two motorbikes
and trailed by two more, which
are revved up while in a immo-
bile position so that the tyres
could spin to create a mistiness
that engulfs the incoming cou-
ple as they exit and enlivens
their red carpet entrance.
Even more, who sanction the
police escorts and road blocks

Up

EDUCATION MINISTER:
Carl Bethel

that hinder the traffic flow to
parade many of these under-
achieving youngsters, scores of
whom have graduated with Fs
and will earn Fs on their BGC-
SEs?
The prom should be stopped
or rules for attending prom
should be implemented, specif-
ically one that requires students
to attain the required passing
standards to participate in the
ball. If schools adopted this
approach, many pupils would
work towards that milestone.
Beyond the internal fine-tun-
ing and curriculum improve-
ments required at the Ministry
of Education (MOE), irre-
sponsible parents are the root
cause of the social turmoil and
educational failures we now
face.
There are countless parents
who have been egregiously neg-
ligible as they fail to review
their children's books, assist
with assignments or express
even the slightest inkling of
interest in their educational
advancement, outside of hap-
pily dropping them to schools
where they won't have to see
them for several hours each
day.

I have discovered that
numerous students have unre-
stricted, uninterrupted access
to the internet, television, music
and can do whatever they
desire. Frankly, since students
that can't spell 'dunce' to save
their lives can effortlessly recite
the lyrics of vulgar songs, I've
oftentimes contemplated rap-
ping lessons over hip-hop beats
to target these apathetic, way-
ward pupils.
The top tier of education has
long been proliferated by
cronies, nepotists and position
seekers intent on being vindic-
tive and repressing progress. It
is high time that political
appointees be a relic of the past
and that future appointments
are based on vision and leader-
ship ability in the fight to secure
our nation's future.
Could there be any wonder
why the educational system
seems obsolete when younger
persons with innovative ideas
are relegated to the dustbin in
favour of the older, politically-
connected bureaucrats who are
recycled to serve stints as con-
sultants after having retired and
can offer little to no new ideas?
When parents fail to teach
their children morals and val-
ues, dodge teachers and duck
PTA meetings, is there any
wonder why many students are
sexually promiscuous, speak/act
offensively, are frequently
found in nightclubs and in
neighbourhood bar rooms and
are miserably failing? It's rather
amusing how a large quantity of
parents can attend political ral-
lies but barely a handful show
up for PTA meetings. Bahami-
SEE page 14

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The truck driver is a 38-year-old resident of Doctor's ('reek,
I..on Island, Mr I-lanna said.
holese s was taken to the local clinic suffering from head and
chest injuries but died around 2.07am on Saturday, he added.
In a separate incident, another cyclist was killed as he rode
along Queen's Highway and Rainbow Drive in Rainbow Bay,
liluthera, around 10.45 pm on Friday.
Ricardo Davis, 47, of Hatchet Bay, was riding his bike through
the area when he was struck from behind by a mini-van, accord-
ing to reports from the island.
The married father died at the scene, which has no traffic
lights or speedbumps, residents said.
Police investigations are continuing.

FROM page one
resign," said Mrs Hanna-Mar-
tin yesterday at a news confer-
ence at Gambier House. "He
must be held accountable for
this botched state of affairs.
However, the question natural-
ly arises in the circumstances
whether accountability for this
episode goes higher that the
minister."
She continued: "I am not cer-

tain that this is simply a case of
mere incompetence and not, in
fact, a deliberate attempt to
manipulate the electoral process
in the hope that no-one was
watching."
Last Wednesday Justice Jon
Isaacs ruled that the minister's
order to hold the elections, in
part was "null and void."
The ruling was made after
attorneys for Mr Collie and Par-
liamentary Commissioner Errol

Instead of flowers the family request that
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P.O. Box S.B. 50453, Nassau, in memory of
Howard A. Lawrence.

Arrangements by Kemp's
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Bethel, the respondents, had
conceded that the order had not
been gazetted and tabled as
required by the Interpretations
and General Clauses Act.
This led Mr Collie to
announce in a news release late
that night that local government
elections would not be held the
next day in Acklins, Mangrove
Cay, Hope Town, Crooked
Island and Rum Cay, Central
Andros, Bimini, Exuma,
Mayaguana and West Grand
Bahama. However, elections did
occur in other Family Islands.
Mrs Hanna-Martin empha-
sised yesterday that she warned
Mr Collie about these issues
before the matter was escalated
to the courts.
"I think it is important for the
public to know that the govern-
ment was alerted almost three
weeks in advance of the date for
elections that there were seri-
ous concerns about the process.
I think it is reasonable to assume
the minister obtained legal
advice as he indicated he was
doing so in several public state-
ments," she said.
"Despite this, the government
continued in an atmosphere of
confusion, in a manner that is
unlawful."
The PLP chairman also ques-
tioned the government's deci-
sion to proceed with the other
local government elections that
were not halted because of the
ruling.

She said it appeared that
these elections were held in an
atmosphere of "confusion and
perhaps suspicion." And, she
noted, the voter turnout was
reportedly low in these islands.
Damian Gomez, attorney for
the plaintiffs in the action, said
there are serious ramifications
for the communities affected if
illegitimate elections were held
in haste by the government.
If the elections are illegiti-
mate, said Mr Gomez, the pow-
ers exercised by the officials
elected could be legally called
into question, potentially thrust-
ing numerous transactions in
jeopardy.
It was his view, said Mr
Gomez, that all of the elections
should have been delayed after
the ruling, pending further
review.
PLP leader Perry Christie
commended Mrs Hanna-Mar-
tin for her strong leadership on
this issue yesterday and said that
this intervention by the PLP is
an example of the constructive
opposition his party intends to
provide.
Along with calling for Mr Col-
lie's resignation, Mrs Hanna-
Martin said that other chal-
lenges can come out of the elec-
tions that occurred as there are
"rumblings" surrounding the
government's decision to pro-
ceed.
Calls to Mr Collie were
returned up to presstime.

der, but ASP Bethel dispelled
the claim.
"I don't know (anything)
about that. In fact, if someone
has that information they need
to tell (police) so that we can
follow up on it."
Last week there were devel-
opments in two of the cases that
garnered national attention and
intense media scrutiny.
On Thursday, police released
a photograph of Troyniko
McNeil, 21, as a person wanted
for questioning in connection
with Taylor's murder. McNeil,
of Kennedy Sub-division, is con-
sidered armed and dangerous.
On Monday and Tuesday,
police released two sketches of
men wanted for questioning in
connection with Wilson's mur-
der.
Yesterday, ASP Bethel
declined to comment on
whether police were. interro-
gating family members to track
down the whereabouts of

Police are 'close' to

solving gay murders

Troyniko.
When asked if police had any
new breakthroughs in any of
the four murders, ASP Bethel
said they hadn't, but the release
of the photos had spurred an
outpouring of public tips.
"We are still having people,
as a result of the sketches, call-
ing in to assist with the investi-
gation and we are appreciating
that. In fact, since we released
the sketches we've had lots of
tips coming in that we're fol-
lowing and again we are confi-
dent that, with the assistance of
members of the public, these
matters will be cleared up soon.
"The four of them, like 1 said,
1 am confident that we are
going to bring them to a closure
soon, all four matters," said
ASP Bethel.

Wilson, 37, a Jamaican waiter
at Senor Frogs, was brutally
stabbed several weeks ago out-
side his apartment in Centre-
ville. He was found bleeding
profusely from a chest wound
after alerting neighbours to his
attack.
Adderley, 51, was stabbed to
death in his home more than a
month ago.
Taylor was found dead in his
bedroom at Mountbatten
House on West Hill Street, dur-
ing the morning of November
18, 2007. He reportedly had a
number of stab wounds about
his body.
McDonald was found mur-
dered last November in his
Queen Street home. He was
beaten to death with a clothes
iron.

PM set to announce Cabinet shuffle

FROM page one

that may have profound political implications for
the governing Free National Movement.
There has been rampant speculation for months
that National Security Minister Tommy Turn-
quest, a former leader of the FNM, will be moved
from this post.
The increased level of crime in the Bahamas
over the last few years is likely to be the most sig-
nificant election issue in four years time.
If the FNM is to be re-elected it needs strong
leadership from the national security minister
and some in the party think Mr Turnquest may
not be up to the job.
If he is moved, however, it will cause him some
embarrassment if he is not given an equally pres-

tigious post, as his current job, along with that of
attorney general, the finance ministry and public
works, are the most prestigious in Cabinet.
It has also been speculated that Claire Hep-
burn, attorney general, will step down from this
post, and possibly become a judge. The name
often floated as her replacement is attorney
Michael Barnett.
Minister of State for Immigration Elma Camp-
bell has also been rumoured to be a potential
candidate for the post of ambassador to China.
Despite this speculation, one FNM insider said:
"You will only know what will happen when it
happens. Only the PM knows what he is going to
do."
The new environment ministry and the youth,
sports and culture ministry will have to be dis-
tributed during tonight's announcement.

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make sure you get it!

morning.,
According to Chief Supt
ilenn Miller, the victim got into
in argument with an unidenti-
fied person while at the Fountain
)f Youth Restaurant on East
Street South around 3am.
CSP Miller said the victim was
then "attacked by a number of
persons" one of whom pro-
duced and discharged a gun. He
was stabbed multiple times to
the head and chest and shot once
in the abdomen, CSP Miller said.
"We suspect that he was shot
and stabbed," CSP Miller said.
"He was taken to hospital with
stab wounds to the shoulders,
head injuries and a wound to the
stomach consistent with a gun-
shot."
Up to press time last night
police had no suspects in cus-
tody for the attack.
Police in Grand Bahama also
reported a shooting in Ardent
Forest over the weekend which
left a young man in hospital with
non-life threatening injuries.
Navardo Burrows, 30, of
Imperial Park, is detained at
Rand Memorial Hospital
after being shot on Friday
evening.
According to Chief Supt Basil
Rahming, police received infor-
mation around 9.55pm from a
nurse at Rand Memorial Hos-
pital that a man had just been
brought there with a gunshot
wound.
Officers went to the hospital
and interviewed the victim, who
was being treated for injuries to
the left knee.
Burrows told police that he
and several friends were at
Cora's Place on Sergeant Major
Road playing a game of domi-
noes when a man approached
them.
The man pulled out a hand-
gun and opened fire. While
attempting to flee, Burrows was
shot in the left knee.
He said the unidentified gun-
man fled on foot across to Metro
Service Station and got into a
vehicle and sped off.
He was wearing a blue
"hoody", blue jeans pants and
dark shades.
Police investigations are con-
tinuing into both incidents.

Man, 35, is found dead

FROM page one

Jones in his bed with a gunshot
wound to the chest lying on his
back with his hands out-
stretched and clenched.
The neighbour said he was
cold and stiff when she saw
him, indicating that he had
been dead for some hours.
It is believed that Mr Jones
died in the early hours of Sat-
urday morning as the neigh-
bour said she saw him the night
before outside his apartment
and they spoke to each other.
"He said that he was going to
clean his jeep and that he was
stressed out over his relation-
ship," she said, noting that this

conversation occurred around
8.30pm or 8.45pm.
Glenn Miller, officer in
charge at the Central Detec-
tive Unit, said the death
appeared to be a suicide, but
police had not yet officially
classified the incident.
Another neighbour said her
husband reported hearing
something like a gunshot in the
early hours of the morning.
Distraught relatives and col-
leagues at BFS assembled at
the scene shortly after the dis-
covery.
"I can't see an individual
who has all of that support, you
understand, not reaching out
to each or one of them to find
out...or to get some assistance

in this situation," said Clifford
Jones, father of the deceased.
An aunt of Mr Jones, Clarice
Williams, expressed.surprise at
Mr Jones' death. She said there
was "nothing to say that he was
under stress or he was
depressed, nothing."
"So I can't even think, you
know, how this could happen
here this afternoon," she
added.
Mr Jones was a father of two
and worked with Bahamas

Food Services in their freezers
and coolers.
He had been with the com-
pany for many years even when
it was known as Island
Seafoods.
This is the third suspected
suicide in recent weeks on New
Providence.
Mitchell Morgan, 17, of
Cincinnati, Ohio, reportedly
hanged himself in a bathroom
following an argument with
his parents at Atlantis

last Thursday.
About a week earlier Gre-
gory Moxey, 39, of Skyline
Lakes, is believed to have com-
mitted suicide at a Fire Tiail
Road apartment complex at tI!h
rear of Bahamas Faith Mii-
istries.
He like Mr Jones was repoit-
edly upset over a relationship
with a woman and is believed
to have shot himself in tih:
chest in his vehicle in front ,l
her home.

Sandals Resorts and Spa require an Irrigation Technician
to maintain and upgrade an existing irrigation system.

REQUIREMENTS:

The right candidate should possess minimum skills
that will enable them to:

* Trouble shoot, identify and repair sprinkler issues
* Install pipes valve and sprinklers
* Be familiar with Toro, Rainbird and Hunter sprinklers
* Any experience with pumps would be an asset

The Resort will be upgrading to a TBOSS system that
will give us fully automated sprinkle system schedule.
The right candidate will be working along side the
landscape contractor on property.
Position available immediately
Send resumes with 3 references to:
MRCAMPBELL@GRP.SANDALS.COM

FROM page 9
ans need to really re-evaluate
their priorities!
How many-students will like-
ly drop out over the summer?
While the statistics on the
academic dropout rate is want-
ing, the high rate of dropouts
reflect a great disconnect
between the home and the
school. Far too many irrespon-
sible people are bearing chil-
dren, while having neither the
parenting skills nor an extended
family to assist in the child rear-
ing process, particularly since
many young grandmothers are
still working themselves.
Meanwhile, a young mother
may have to hustle for survival
because there are usually devel-
oping difficulties between her
and the child's father, ultimate-
ly resulting in her resorting to
taking the child to daycare cen-
tres many of which are
unable to stimulate a child's
mental process.
Eventually, these babies
become youngsters, whose val-

ue system is shot, choosing to
emulate their mothers and
become beggars and hustlers,
selling their bodies for one thing
or another and repeating a
vicious cycle.
The education system is sad-
dled by illegitimate children,
who are undisciplined and dis-
ruptive, lack parental guidance
and have no impetus to learn.
In the United States, about
one million students drop out
of schools each year. Studies
show that about 3.4 million
Americans, age 16 to 24, are
high school dropouts.
Bahamian students drop out
for varying reasons ranging
from pregnancies, having to
work because their parents are
unemployed or unable to sus-
tain the household or a meagre
salary, low self-esteem, lan-
guage difficulties/barriers (eg,
Creole), substance abuse, etc.
Considering the low academ-
ic achievements of Bahamian
students and the likelihood that
a sizeable proportion may drop
out, the MOE must put a GED-

like programme in place that
could allow these individuals to
earn their high school creden-
tials/diploma.
In curbing school
failure/dropouts, the ministry
via the schools must forthright-
ly implement policy to bring an
end socially promoting students
until they graduate since they
most likely leave school with-
out a basic education and
become leading candidates for a
criminal lifestyle, enforce the
mandatory 2.0 grade point aver-
age for movement to another
grade, cultivate a positive school
climate, produce a relevant cur-
riculum, encourage peer tutor-
ing by offering stipends to more
advanced students for tutoring
rendered to their struggling
peers, recruit more remedial
teachers, increase evaluations
by psychological services for
troubled students, require all
failing students to attend sum-
mer school and limit their par-
ticipation in extra-curricular
activities.
Further, many of the issues
confronting our society are not
addressed in the Ministry of
Education's curriculum or the
established teaching practices
that to this day promote con-
formity in society, rather than
recognizing individuality and
implementing Howard Gard-
ner's theory of multiple intelli-
gences.
In helping to remedy the var-
ious crises the educational sys-
tem now faces, parents must
become better disciplinarians
and, in co-operation with teach-
ers, monitor and consistently
encourage their children to suc-
ceed. It's high time parents take
an authoritative stance and set
high standards for their chil-
dren. The church, which seems
too concerned with religious rit-
uals, political propaganda and
appears to have lost its moral
compass, must also step up and
contribute to the development
of productive, law abiding citi-
zens.
Minister of Education Carl
Bethel's reform initiatives to
enhance the "output and func-
tional capabilities" of students
by implementing alterations to
address core subjects, on-the-
job training and after-school
pilot programmes may be a
move in the right direction. .

WHILE there were a
few athletes who have
qualified so far for the
Olympic Games in Bei-
jing, China, the Bahamas
Association of Athletic
Association is giving all
those on the borderline
an opportunity to attain
the standard.
Following the Scotia-
bank Olympic trials over
the weekend at the
Thomas A. Robinson
Track and Field Stadium,
the BAAA has released
the names of 38 athletes
who will travel on the
BTC sponsored national
team to the Central
American and Caribbean
Games in Cali,
Colombia.
The team will depart
for Cali, Colombia on
Wednesday and will..
begin competition on Fri-
day.

SMEN
Derrick Atkins, Adrian
Griffith, Shamar Sands,
Rodney Green, Jamial
Rolle, Dominic
Demeritte, Chris Brown,
Andretti Bain, Andrae
Williams, Ramon Miller,
Avard Moncur, Oniel
Williams, Carlyle
Thompson, Trevor Barry,
Jamal Wilson, Osbourne
Moxey, Rudon Bastian,
Leevan Sands, Antonio
Saunders, Chris Bethel
and Alexis Roberts.
The team will be man-
aged by Ralph McKin-
ney. The coaches are
Frank Rahming, Keith
Parker, Tyrone Burrows
and Peter Pratt. Myles
Poitier will travel as the
doctor and Brenda Coop-
er as the physiotherapist.
The chaperone is Debbie
Smith.
McKinney said the
BAAA have decided to
give all of those athletes
who were close to quali-
fying an opportunity to
do so.
"We had some high
jumpers, long and triple
jumpers who were close
and we wanted to get all
of the relay teams, men
and women 4 x 1 and 4 x
400 teams a chance to
qualify," McKinney stat-
ed.
"It's the biggest team
that we have ever select-
ed for CAC in quite a
while, but we wanted to
make sure that every-
body who have a chance
to qualify for the
Olympics will get to do
so at CAC.
"This will probably be
the last chance for a lot
of them."

AFTER showing off his speed with his
third place finish in the men's 100 metres,
Shamar Sands said he was ready to put on a
show in the 110 hurdles at the BAAA's
Scotiabank Olympic trials on Saturday night.
Before a huge crowd at the Thomas A.
Robinson Track and Field Stadium, Sands
did just that when he lowered his national
record of 13.47 seconds to 13.44 to go under
the Olympic Games' A standard of 13.55 to
secure his spot in Beijing, China, earning a

CHRIS 'Bay' Brown survived
his stiffest challenge at home,
holding off Andretti 'Da Bahami-
an Dream' Bain to put the fin-
ishing touches on the most excit-
ing Bahamas Association of Ath-
letic Associations' National
Championships in years.
Dubbed the "Scotiabank
Olympic Trials," Brown exploded
from the start and kept his com-
posure out front as he held off
NCAA champion Bain to win the
marquee men's 400 metres on
Saturday night at the Thomas A.
Robinson Track and Field Stadi-
um in 45.43 seconds.
Bain had to settle for second
in 45.53, joining Brown in going
under the A qualifying time of
45.55 and earning $1,000 as a
bonus from Scotiabank, while
Michael Mathieu picked up third
place in 45.72 over his Grand
Bahamian rival, Andrae Williams
(45.91).
"I would just like to thank the
Lord for allowing me to come out
here today and take the crown,"
said Brown, who was apprecia-
tive of the support from his fam-
ily, including his mother, who
came from Eleuthera and his
expecting wife, Faith, from
Atlanta, Georgia.
"It was a good race. I didn't
run it the way I wanted, but thank
God for the victory. I wanted to
execute a little more on the back
stretch and coming off the curve.
I felt something in my shoulder.
By then I should have already
been gone, but it was just one of
those things."
To all his rivals, who had indi-
cated prior to the race that they
were coming for him, Brown had
two words for them: "More fire.
Everything is on target for the
Olympics. I was hoping to go
under 45 seconds, but there was a
lot of wind in the back stretch.

$1,000 bonus from Scotiabank in the
process. ---
"That was the goal. I came out here to do
it and I did it," Sands said. "The road is
Beijing now. We will go to (Cali) Colombian
next (for the CAC Championships this
weekend) and then it's the Olympics.
"I'm very happy with the performance. I
want to thank God. I thought the competi-
tion was going to be a little more stiff, but I
just had to go out and stay within myself. I
got a little fatigued at the end. I guess it's
because of the two races in the 100 yesterday
(Saturday)."
Chris Bethel came in second in 14.14, but
he had nothing but praise for Sands.

"I was really happy with my performance.
I PRed. But me and Shamar have been run-
ning against each other for years. I love to
run against him," said Bethel, referring to
their high school days at St. Augustine Col-
lege. "That's top notch competition. That

will give me the exposure going into the
CAC Championships and the further years
as a pro."
The women's 100 hurdles was expected to
SEE page 16

U TRACK AND FIELD
By BRENT STUBBS
Senior Sports Reporter
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
EVEN as she starts to wind
down her career, Chandra Stur-
rup proved that she still has the
speed to remain the top female
sprinter in the country.
On Friday night at the BAAA's
Scotia Bank Olympic trials, Stur-
rup repeated as the 100 metre
champion, holding off a star-stud-
ded field of veteran and rising
young stars, including Debbie Fer-
guson-McKenzie and Sheniqua 'Q'
Ferguson, at the Thomas A.
Robinson Track and Field Stadi-
um.
The men's century was marred
by the interruption of fireworks
that unexpectedly exploded at the
eastern end of the track.
Fifteen minutes later, Derrick
Atkins burst through the tape in
9.97 seconds, the fastest time ever
posted on local soil, but it was
wind-aided with a 2.2 reading, over
the allowable 2.0 mark.
Popping out of the blocks ahead
of everybody, Sturrup sped down
the runway before the large crowd
of spectators to win the race in
11.14 seconds and earned a $1,000
from Scotia Bank for going under
the Olympic Games' A qualifying
time of 11.30.
"It was good. I don't know what
happened at the start of the race,
but the last part was the best part
of my race in a long time," Sturrup
said. "I've been working on it, so
I'm happy with it."

Injuries
Sturrup, the national record
holder at 10.87, said she was happy
to repeat as national champion,
considering that she hid a series of
slight injuries to deal with all year.
But she was even more elated that
the younger sprinters are coming
through.
Ferguson-McKenzie, who like
Sturrup had already achieved the
qualifying mark before coming
home for the trials to secure their
trip to Beijing, China in August,
finished second in 11.33.
Not too far behind was Sheni-
qua Ferguson, the national junior
college double sprint champion, in

Sheniqua Ferguson.
third place in 11.38, which was
under the B qualifying mark of
11.40.
"I will take it. I can't complain,"
stated Ferguson-McKenzie, who
was disappointed in her start.
On the crowd support, Fergu-
son-McKenzie said it's the "best
that I've seen in the past couple
of years. I'm very proud of the
Bahamian fans who came out to
support their favorite athletes.
"This was how it was when we
were in high school. This was like
the real deal. I'm very proud of
the organizing committee and what
they did what the organizing of the
meet this year. Well done."
Sheniqua Ferguson, who will be
travelling with the national team to
the IAAF World Junior Champi-
onships this week, said she was
proud of her performance.
"It feels good to get the compe-
tition before I go to Poland. So I
just wanted to PR in my last meet
before the championships," she
summed up.
Coming in fourth was Timicka
Clarke in 11.43 with Kristy White,
the Bahamian residing in Florida,
in fifth in 11.71. Making her return,
Shandria Brown was sixth in 11.73,
while World Junior Championship
team-mates Krystal Bodie (11.85)
and Tia Rolle (11.86) rounded out
the field.
Under normal circumstances,
Atkins' performance in the men's
100 would have gone under the A
qualifying time of 10.21 for the
Olympics, earning him a $1,000
from Scotia Bank for the effort.
The second place of 10.23 by
Adrian Griffith and third of 10.28
by Shamar Sands would have been
better than and tied respectively

the B standard of 10.28.
But they will have to be record-
ed with an notation behind them
because of the wind reading.
Atkins, who shot out of the
blocks and seemed poised to run
close to his national record of 9.91,
said he was quite disappointed with
the distractions from the fireworks.
"This is a track meet, not a cel-
ebrations," he pointed out. "We
didn't need the stress or the dis-
tractions from the fireworks going
on. Other than that, I think it was
a good race."

Crowd
Not since he competed at high
school has Atkins seen a crowd as
huge as Friday night and he
expressed his gratitude for their
support.
If Griffith or Sands or any of
the other competitors doesn't crack
the A standard for the Olympics,
Atkins said he's hoping that the
men's 4 x 100 relay team will get to
qualify when they go to the Central
American and Caribbean Cham-
pionships in Cali, Colombia this
weekend.
Griffith, now training in Cler-
mont, Florida, said he was waiting
for this opportunity for a long time.
"I struggled coming out of the
blocks, but when I got up, I knew I
just had to keep up my arms, but I
got relaxed a little too much," Grif-
fith reflected. "So when Derrick
got ahead of me, I just decided to
pump and pump until I got to the
end and it came through."
Although he's really gearing up
for the 110 hurdles, Sands said he
just wanted to prove that he had
the speed to run with the best the

DEBBIE Ferguson-McKenzie couldn't remember the last time she
lost a 200 metre race at home and she wasn't about to have the streak
snapped just yet, even though Sheniqua 'Q' Ferguson came close to an
upset on Saturday night.
It took a photo finish before the results were finally announced to the
crowd at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium that Fer-
guson-McKenzie had retained her national title at the BAAA's Sco-
tiabank Olympic trials.
In a pretty good race, Ferguson-McKenzie won in 22.82 seconds,
pulling Ferguson through in 22.85 as they both went under the A
qualifying time of 23.00 for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China in
August. They also received a bonus of $1,000 from Scotiabank.
More importantly for Ferguson-McKenzie was not relinquishing
her title just yet to Ferguson or Nivea Smith, the third place finisher in
23.46.
"It was fun. I realized in the beginning that they set me up with how
it was set up. But all in fairness and good sport and for the youngsters,
it was one of the best 200s that I ran here in a while," Ferguson-
McKenzie stated.
"It wasn't as fast as I wanted it, but it was still a very good race. The
win is always good. It's always good to be number one no matter
what the time is. I really wanted to run faster. But in comparison to last
year, I didn't break 23. This time, I did, so I have to take it in stride."
Ferguson-McKenzie said she has to consider it that way, especially
with the young girls coming for her.
"It keeps me on my p's and q's because normally you come to trials
and it's a little bit boring," she stressed. "But this year, it was probably
the most exciting year. I'm proud of them. Hopefully they can go to
world juniors and bring back gold and silver and come back to get ready
for the Olympics."
Ferguson, who had her own cheering section in the stands, said she
felt if she executed her race, she would have had a chance to win.
"Last week, coming down the stretch, I lost my focus. I didn't exe-
cute my race properly, but this week, I said I was going to stay focused
and I'm going to do what I need to do. I saw Debbie, but I wanted it.
I didn't see Nivea coming off the curve. That was it."
Ferguson was referring to her defeat to Smith at the junior nation-
als when she lost her form and eventually the race as they headed down
the final stretch.
Smith, the Grand Bahamian high school sensation, admitted that she
was quite disappointed with her third place.
"I didn't get a good start. That's an unusual thing," she said. "But
coming down the stretch, my legs were extremely heavy, so I didn't get
to kick into another gear. Debbie and Sheniqua race a good race.
Everybody has their days. This was their own. I hope to bounce back
at World Jr's."
In the men's 200, Jamial Rolle opted not to contest the 100 so he
could be fresh for the half-lapper. He trailed national champion
Dominic Demeritte coming off the curve, but made up enough ground
on the straight away to take the national title in 20.66.
It was a B Olympic qualifying time Rolle, but his heats were faster
in 20.62.
"I felt okay about it. I expected to go a lot faster, judging from how
the workouts have been going the last couple of weeks," he insisted.
"Technically, I did a lot of things wrong in the last 50 metres. I tightened
up, but I tried to keep my composure. Hopefully when I get to CAC,
I can get the A qualifier."
Demeritte, coming back after a year's break, was second in 20.67,
which also was under the B cut of 20.67, which means that if he does-
n't run faster than 20.62, Rolle would secure the spot for Beijing over
him.

Bahamas had to offer.
"For too long they have been
counting me out," he charged.
"I've been training hard and I'm
ready to run fast. I just haven't got-
ten in that right race to do it.
"I shocked myself, but unfortu-
nately it was a 2.2 wind. But I will
still take it."

Shamar Sands

FROM page 15
be a good showdown between
the Bahamas and Haiti. But just
before they cleared the final
three hurdles, Haitian national
champion Nadine Faustin-Park-
er tripped over her hurdle and
it seemed to have a rippling
effect as national champion
Taivannia Thompson also fell
on the next hurdle.
That left Krystal Bodie,
who is heading to the World
Junior Championships in Byd-
goszcz, Poland, all alone as
she crossed the finish line in a
junior national record of
13.51.
"It feels okay. I know I did-
n't do my best, but hopefully
they will still take me to the
Olympics. I know I still have
World Jr's, so I hope to go out
there and do even better," she
stated.
On the crash at the end,
Bodie said she just had to stay
focused on her race and not
concentrate on what was hap-
pening around her.
"I heard the sound, but I
didn't want to focus on them.
I just wanted to go out there
and do my race," she said.
While Thompson had to
rush off for some medical
attention, Faustin-Parker was
able to get up and walk on her
own. But she was bewildered
as to exactly what happened.
"It just came up. I couldn't
tell you. It just came up really
fast," said the fluent English-
speaking North Carolina resi-
dent. "I just remember collid-
ing with the hurdle. I thought
I was over it. The next thing I
knew I was lying on the
ground."
Faustin-Parker said she was
more disappointed because
she wanted to show her
appreciation to her national
federation for the time, ener-
gy and resources they put in
getting the team here to com-
pete.
Although she admitted that
she doesn't have any known
family members in the
Bahamas, Faustin-Parker said
she considered all Bahamians
as her family and she appreci-
ated the support her and her
team-mates received from
everybody.
And she noted that she
hoped to be back to compete
in the future.

Chris Brown
FROM page 15
Mathieu, a member of last
year's World Championship
4 x 4 relay silver member
team, said this made up for
2004 when he missed out on
making the Olympic team.
"I really feel good because
four years ago I was quite dis-
appointed, but this year, I'm
finally there," he stated. "It
was a good race for me. I just
went out there and gave it my
all and I came through."
Many were wondering
whether Olympic and world
champion Tonique Williams-
Darling would have just
showed up, even if she didn't
compete in the women's 400.
But there was no sight of
Williams-Darling, who was
recently spotted at the Barba-
dos Olympic trials.
The show went on without
her as Christine Amertil
breezed to victory in 52.49
with Shakeitha Henfield com-
ing in second in 54.36 and
Rashan Brown third in 54.85.
"I'm happy with the win,
but not with the time. This is
my third 400 for the year, so I
was working out some things,
getting the cobwebs out and
getting the running rhythm
back under my legs," Amertil
stated. "I'm going to CAC
and hopefully continue to
improve."
On the absence of
Williams-Darling, Amertil
said it was quite disappoint-
ing, but "whatever her reason,
I'm sure it's a good one. I just
hope all is well with her."
Chris Brown, the men's 400
champion, had his say on
Williams-Darling's absence as
well.
"I think she owes one to the

crowd to say what she is going
to do or what she's not going
to do because people come to
see a good 400 and not show-
ing up, she should say why,"
he summed up.

* By BRENT STUBBS
Senior Sports Reporter
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
HE wore a T-shirt that had printed on the front: "Superman is
back." On the back were the words: "To Conquer."
On Saturday night at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field
Stadium, Leevan Sands returned and conquered the competition in
the men's triple jump, retaining his title on his first leap when he
soared 57-feet, 3-inches on his first attempt, just short of his nation-
al record of 57-5.
"I was hyped from the first one. That was the best that I've
jumped from my first attempt," Sands stressed. "I can't complain
about that. When I jump far in my first jump, it's no telling what I
do on my second one."
An emotional Sands noted that he came to tears after the jump
after he reflected on all that he went through over the last two years
after being suspended for taking a vic inhaler.
"I was just happy," he quipped. "I had to cry. I'm not a man to
cry, but tears just started to come out. I felt the moment, especial-
ly with this big crowd out there."
Coming in second was Antonio Saunders with a leap of 52-6 3/4.
Lamar Delaney was third with 51-8 1/2.
Also on Saturday night, there was a major upset in the long
jump when NCAA finalist Bianca Stuart cleared 21-4 to snatch the
title away from perennial champion Jackie Edwards 20-10 3/4.
"It was nice. It was a good competition," said Stuart, who was
elated over her victory. "I was flat on a few of my jumps, but I just
tried to get through it. It's just great to be the champion. I just want
to thank everybody for the support."
Stuart, who will be entering her senior year at Southern Illinois
University, said Edwards really pushed her. But she hoped that at
the CAC Championships, she can improve on her performance.
Her coach from Southern Illinois, Scott, who was in the stands
watching, said he was proud of her accomplishment, but agreed that
she still had the potential to still qualify for the Olympics in Cali,
Colombia this weekend.
"She hit the first one well and it turned out to be a decent jump.
But she's jumping at least 6-8 centimetres of where she need to be,"
Scott pointed out. "Some of it is due to the wind and some of it is
due to her aggression. But she has a bright future ahead of her.
There's some big jumps still left in her. We just have to get it out of
her."
Edwards, who did the B qualifying standard last year, said all of
her jumps were good distances, but she had some foul attempts that
could have easily put her over the top again.
"All of the ways that were fair, I was so overrated in my land-
ing," she reflected. "I had some really good take offs, but some real-
ly bad landings. I was just falling out of the sky. It was really frus-
trating."
As for Stuart, Edwards said "she's a very good jumper. It's good
to see someone else coming up because it's been a while. I'm get-
ting towards the end. I probably have one more year of competition
that I want to do, so it's good to see someone else coming up to take
over."

PHOTOS: Tim Clarke/Tribune staff

Raymond Higgs

- new kid on high jump pit

* By BRENT STUBBS
Senior Sports Reporter
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MOVE over Donald Thomas and
Trevor Barry. There's a new kid on
the high jump pit.
Raymond Higgs, who is preparing
to leave today with the national team
for the IAAF World Junior Cham-
pionships in Poland, left his mark in
the men's high jump on Friday at the
Thomas A. Robinson Track and
Field Stadium.
With the focus on the duel expect-
ed between Thomas and Barry, Hig-
gs stole the spotlight when he soared
7-feet, 3-inches to snatch the Scotia-

bank Olympic trials' national title
from his more seasoned arch-rivals.
"I came out there to PR, but I did-
n't know that I was going to win,"
said the 17-year-old Higgs, who
improved on his previous best of 7-0.
"I just came here to try my best to
win.
"I PRed, so I really feel accom-
plished., But I guess I could have
jumped higher, but we really couldn't
see the bar. I'm just looking forward
to going to Poland and jumping high-
er."
Trevor Barry, who had to settle
for second with his best leap of 7-2,
said he was disappointed, but there
wasn't anything he could do with the
delay in between runs for the various

events going on, including junkanoo.
"It put a lot of stress on our bodies,
trying to warm up and re-warm up,"
he pointed out. "I mean, the com-
petition was there.
"We had Raymond Higgs coming
first. But we were really hoping to
run the A standard."
The A standard for the Olympic
Games in Beijing, China in August is
7-6 1/2 and the closest Barry, who is
now being trained by national record
holder Troy Kemp, did was 7-5.
He's hoping to go to the Central
American and Caribbean Champi-
onships in Cali, Colombia this week-
end and achieve the feat.
Already qualified is Thomas. But
on Friday, he noted that there were

just too many things going on that
made,it difficult for him to jump.
He had to settle for fourth place 7-
0 behind national junior college third
place finisher Jamal Wilson, who
came out at 7-1.
"The lighting for the high jump
Area was too dark. We couldn't see
the bar. Once I got up on the bar, I
was blinded by the next light,"
Thomas noted.
"Overall, it was a fair competition.
Everyone jumped their best. It just
wasn't my night.
"We got held up for about 45 min-
utes for junkanoo, something that I
didn't think should have happened."
Just as he was doing his interview

with the competitors on the track to
run the men's 100 metres, the fire-
works erupted from the eastern end
of the track.
"Look how dangerous that is," said
Thomas as a few persons in the area
had to scramble for safety.
"I'm really disappointed that I did-
n't get to jump that well.
"But in the high jump, you really
need to see the bar.
"Everybody had the same circum-
stances, but I didn't want to injure
anything."
Thomas, who will skip the CAC
Championships, was heading to
Spain on Saturday to compete in his
next meet as he prepare for Beijing.

TRIBUNE SPORTS

PAGE 17, MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008

IO~c~BI$L

. &

PAGE 18, MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Junior

athletes

make

their

mark

by RENALDO DORSETT
,Sport Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SWith much of the spotlight
placed on the RBC National
Swimming Championships
with senior athletes seeking
Olympic qualification, junior
athletes also made their pres-
ence felt at the meet by.'
achieving their own national
team recognition.
The Bahamas will look to-
field a strong team for the
27th Caribbean Islands Swim-
ming Championships after
having a myriad of additional
athletes in the 11-14 age range
achieve qualifying marks for
the event.
The CISC is scheduled for
July 17-23 in Kingston,
Jamaica featuring champi-
onships in swimming, water
polo and synchronized swim-

Kemp (50 free).
The biennial CISC meet is
the premier championship
meet in the region under the
authority of fhe Central
American and Caribbean
Swimming Federation.

Swimming championships produce

hostf new national record holders

* by RENA OftGqR SETU
Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

achieved the feat in Saturday
morning's time trials, and sur-
passed the 'B' standard of
23.13s.

The 37th RBC Bahamas The 'A' standard in the event
National Swimming Champi- is 22.35s.
onships produced a plethora of Burrows was virtually untest-
new national record holders and ed in the final and went on to
increased the, Bahamas' team win the event in 23.39s.
of Olympic qualifiers for the:. Joshua Thompson finished
Beijing games. second in 28.08s and Donovan
Elvis Vereance Burrows Dean was third in 28.64s.
became the latest addition to Allan Murray holds the
team Bahamas when he national record with a time of
achieved th 'B' qualifying stan- 22.75, set in 1996.
dard ii th~ifin freestyle with a Burrows, the University of
time of 22.8"s. Kentucky Wildcat, had a break-
SThe Grand Bahamian native out regular season as he placed

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

y-I^^^^W' '\~

23rd in the 50m freestyle (short
course) at South Eastern Con-
ference Championships.
He was also 23rd in the 100m
butterfly in 49.48s, another per-
sonal best and placed him tenth
in school history.
Burrows became the second
Wildcat to qualify for a Bahami-
an Olympic team after Nikia
Deveaux made history by
becoming the first Bahamian
female to do so when she com-
peted at the 2004 games in
Athens.
He joins Arianna Vander-
pool-Wallace, Alana Dillette,
and Jeremv Knowles on the ros-

11. .1 : ..

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II

Ne

GERMANY'S Bastian
Schweinsteiger reacts in
front of celebrating Spinish
players throwing their coacl
Luis Aragones in the air.
after the Euro 2008 final
between Germany and Spain
in the Ernst-Happel stadium
in Vienna, Austria, Sunday.
June 29, 2008, the last day
of the European Soccer
Championships in Austria
and Switzerland. Spain
defeated Germany 1-0.

L:$

ter of qualifiers to create largest
Olympic qualifying team in
Bahamian history.
Knowles, the veteran of the
squad once again, dipped below
the 'B' standard in the 100m
butterfly with a time of 54.00s
Burrows was second in 55.83,
just missing the mark of 54.71s.
Knowles also repeated his 'B'
standard qualification in the 2(X)
IM with a time of 2:02.79s, well
ahead of the qualifying mark,
2:05.65s.
Knowles has also qualified to
compete in the 200m butterfly
and 200m IM.
The 18-year-old. Vandernool-

Wallace, lowered her national
record in the women's 100m
freestyle, with a first place finish
in a time of 56.01s.
The prospective freshman at
the University of Auburn con-
tinues to progress towards the
'A' standard of 55.24s.
She originally qualified in
February, surpassing the 'B'
standard with a time 56.67s, and
swam to a first place finish.
Dillette will compete in the
100m backstroke, having
achieved the qualifying stan-
dard of 1:03.86s in April at the
Ohio State Grand Prix.

the trophy at the end of the Euro
2008 final between Germany and
Spain in the Ernst-Happel stadium
in Vienna, Austria Sunday June
29, 2008, the lasi day of the Euro-
pean Soccer Championships in
Austria and Sv.rzerland. Spain won
1-0.

SPAIN'S FERNANDO TORRES
reacts after scoring during the Euro
2008 tinal between Germany and
Spain in the Ernst-Happel stadium
in Vienna. Austria, Sunday. June
29. 2008

IN HONOUR OF CHILDREN'S DAY, members of the Children's Ministry at
the COGOP East Street Tabernacle were honoured for their outstanding
contributions and fundraising efforts. Joining the little ones during the pre-
sentation ceremony are, senior pastor of the Church of God of Prophecy
(COGOP) East Street Tabernacle Bishop Franklin Ferguson (far left),
Rochelle Deleveaux and Fritz Grant, both of whom received gifts on
behalf of family members. Pictured at the pulpit is Sharon Deveaux,
director of the Children's Ministry.

CAPTURING the title of Princess, little Rhema Nottage was credited with
having raised the largest offering in celebration of Children's Day, held ear-
lier this month. Pictured wearing her crown, Princess Rhema is shown
receiving her gift from Bishop Franklin Ferguson, senior pastor of the
Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP) East Street Tabernacle.

r:
t

I
r
ri
ii

SEVEN YEAR OLD Whittley (far left), and three year old Elissa Deleveaux
(far right), sisters, are the second and third place finishers respectively in
the Children's Ministry's fundraising efforts at the Church of God of
Prophecy East Street Tabernacle. The two little ladies are pictured flank-
ing Bishop Franklin Ferguson, senior pastor of the church.
The Church of God of Prophecy East Street Tabernacle cele-
brated its youngest members on Children's Day.
On Sunday, June 8 during the church's morning worship service,
the adults sat back and celebrated the youngsters as they took the
lead in conducting the morning service, under the direction of Sis-
ter Sharon Deveaux, Children's Ministry director. The theme for the
occasion was "Let the Children Come".
Exhorting the children on the theme and encouraging the parents
was Bishop Woodley Thompson, associate pastor.
During this time the children received gifts and prizes for their
outstanding work in the Ministry.
."It.is customary that members of the Church of God of Prophecy
East Street Tabernacle are celebrated for the important roles they
play in the lives of others, and for the gifts, talents and contributions
that they make as part of the family of God.
The church also celebrates motIers on Mother's Day and dads on
Father's Day.
Children's Day, which falls on a Sunday between Mother's Day
and Father's Day, is set aside to celebrate the littlest members of the
church's congregation, while encouraging their participation in
the formal Sunday worship service. It also gives them an opportu-
nity to shine offering their own unique praises to the Lord and
revealing their God-given talents to the body at large.

' .'
~~r ~s -
:'' 5;
r
i :
i

bUSiness

MON )AY, J U N Ei 3 0, 2 0 0 8

ColinaImperial

Cofdec ForLif

I I

Bahamas
Supermarkets hopes
to publish year-end
2007 accounts by
mid-July
Reporting
woes put majority
shareholder in default
on banking covenant,
leading Royal Bank
to work with it on
sorting out back-office
systems issues

* By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business
Editor
BAHAMAS Supermar-
kets' chairman has denied
market rumours that the City
Markets operator had been
taken over by Royal Bank
of Canada, telling The Tri-
bune that the company
planned to publish its much-
delayed 2007 financial by
mid-July, 2008.
Accountant Basil Sands, a
partnerin the Bahamian arm
of Pannell Kerr Foster
(PKF), when asked whether
the bank had taken over con-
trol of Bahamas Supermar-
kets to secure the $24 mil-
lion.loan made to finance its
acquisition by the BSL Hold-
ings consortium, replied:
"Not that I'm aware of."
Rumours were sweeping
business and financial mar-
ket circles Qn Friday that
Royal Bank had taken over-
control of Bahamas Super-
markets, TribliifeBusiness
having been contacted by
two separate sources with
the allegations. Other peo-
ple spoken to by this news-
paper had also heard the sto-
ry.
Yet Ross McDonald, Roy-
al Bank's Bahamas-based
head for the Caribbean, also
dismissed the speculation as
untrue. He declined to com-
ment further.
Mr Sands also would not
be drawn further, although
he did confirm that Bahamas
Supermarkets, which oper-
ates the 12 City Markets
stores in New Providence
and Grand Bahama, hoped
to publish its 2007 audited
financial statements by mid-
July. Tribune Business
understands that the target
SEE page eight

Businesses questioning

tariff rounding 'rationale'

Minister says government must balance cost
of living relief with fiscal responsibility
But Chamber chief and others question why
some tax rates being rounded up, and not to
nearest figure
Customs brokers, wholesalers 'in a dither'
over computer system changes and need to
clear all shipments on dock by 4Ipm today AI

* By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
THE Bahamas Chamber of
Commerce's president has ques-
tioned the "rationale" behind
why many tariff rates have been
'rounded up', and a smaller
number 'rounded down', in the
tax reforms ushered in by the
Government's 2008-2009 Bud-
get.
Dionisio D'Aguilar, who is
also Superwash's president, said
the 'rounding' of Tariff and
Excise Tax rates as part of the
Government's policy to simpli-
fy the rate structure had caused
some confusion among Bahami-
an customs brokers, wholesalers
and retailers and potentially
increased taxes on numerous
imports.
The 'rounding strategy' is
part of the Government's plan
to amalgamate import duties
and Stamp duties into one rate
under the Tariff Act, and place
high revenue-earning imports
into an Excise Tax to protect
them from World Trade Organ-
isation (WTO) trade liberaliza-
tion policies.
Under the Tariff and Excise
Acts, Prime Minister Hubert
Ingraham announced in his
Budget deabie- speech that all
tax rates above the 7 per cent

minimum for both would only
increase by multiples of five or
10. Existing rates not compli-
ant with this would be "'ltu11nikd
upwards or downwards" to the
nearest five or 10.
Yet the 'rounding' policy is
not following the basics of high
school maths, Mr D'Aguilar
and others told Tribune Busi-

ness. Normally, numbers are
rounded to the closest five or
10, yet in at least once case seen
by this newspaper, the amalga-
mated import and Stamp duty
rate of 42 per cent was 'rounded

up' to 45 per cent, instead of
down to 40 per cent, which was
the closer number.
The Prime Minister himilf
SEE page nine

JAns frlsep rocess has*'ju I I s* t s H t'I

* By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business
Editor
ANSBACHER (Bahamas)
is likely to be sold to a new
owner within a six to 12-
month period, its managing
director telling Tribune Busi-
ness that the decision .to
begin a formal sales process "
has literally only just been
made".
While asking that he not be
held to any sale timetable
due to the unpredictable
nature of commercial acqui-
sitions, Michael Mayhew-
Arnold said Ansbacher and its ultimate
parent, Qatar National Bank (QNB), haid
only decided to begin a formal sales
process for the Bahamas operation within

the last two weeks.
Confirming Tribune Busi-
ness's exclusive revelation on
SThursday that Ansbachcr
(Bahamas) was for sale, Mr
Mayhew-Arnold indicated
that QNB had decided to sell
the unit because it was heav-
ily focused on its home Mid-
dle Eastern region, not this
nation or the Caribbean.
The Ansbacher (Bahamas)
managing director said the
institution was poised for
"significant growth" given
the business plans developed
by its management, with any
buyer likely to reap the ben-
efits from that.
However, he added that QNB did not
SEE page six

BEC's LNG

supply plan

would 'slash'

pollution level
M By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business
Editor
TI ill estimated 2,000 tons
of sulphur dioxide emitted
by the Bahamas Electricilv
Corporalt i'nos (BEC) dicscl-
driven turbines every vyar
would be at least 90 per cent
eliminated if liquefied nal-
ural gas (LN(i) was used as
an alternate power supply.
the project's proponent has
estimated.
Data produced by AES
Corporation, which has
offered to supply BEC'-
Blue Hills power station
with LNG via a pipeline
from its planned Ocean Cay
terminal, in a bid to gel ilt
main Florida supply project
approved by the Govern-
ment, indicated the project
would "'r1 dui substantial-
ly" the amount of pollution
released into the air by elec-
trical generation on New
Providence.
Apart from the almost
2,000-tonne sulphur dioxide
reduction. which AES esti-
mated would be an almost
90 per cent reduction from
current BEC levels, the IS-
based corporation said that
switching from diesel to
LNG would reduce nitro-
gen oxide emissions by cloli
to 2,000 tonnes per year -
from just under 3,500 tonnes
SSEE page seven,

Non-performing Na.sau Exuma *Abaco *Freeport Cayman

loans close to 5%

'difficult' threshold
* By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
COMMERCIAL banks are
closely monitoring non-per-
forming loans to ensure they
do not constitute more than 5
per cent of their total portfo-
lio, the Clearing Banks Asso-
ciation's (CBA) chairman
telling Tribune Business that
"a little bit of difficulty" might
be experienced by the sector if
the percentage moved signifi-
cantly north of that figure.
Anwer Sunderji, who is also
Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief
executive, told Tribune Busi-
ness that given the current
downturn and continued US
economic fallout, all Bahami-
an commercial banks were
being "very vigilant" when it
came to managing non-per-
forming loans, raising their
credit standards and collec-
tion efforts.
"There's already been some
deterioration, particularly in
Freeport, in delinquencies,
and in a slowing economy it's
not unexpected that there
would be a deterioration at
that level," Mr Sunderji told
Tribune Business.
"We have worked through
many economic cycles and are
not unfamiliar with what we
have to do."
Total non-performing loans
in the Bahamian banking sec-
tor were just shy of the 5 per
cent threshold at April-end
2008, the Central Bank of the
Bahamas reporting that loans
SEE page seven

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i

Estate seeks stay on removal

of Port Authority receivers

* By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business
Editor
TIlE late Edward St
George's estate will tomor-
row attempt to persuade
the Court of Appeal that
Justice Neville Adderlcy's
ruling removing the Grand
Bahama Port Authority
(GBPA) receivership be
stayed pending a full hear-
ing of the appeal, the latest
episode in the protracted
20-month legal fight
over the company's owner-
ship.
The amended summons
filed by the St George
estate also seeks to stay
Justice Adderley's ruling
against recusing himself
from the case, and asks the
Court of Appeal- that the
Sir Jack Hayward family
trust and its co-defendants
"be restrained" from bring-
ing any further action
before that judge in rela-
tion to the GBPA owner-
ship dispute.

An affidavit filed on the
St George estate's behalf
by one of its attorneys,
Jacv Whittaker, of ('allen-
der s & Co, alleged that as
a result of Justice Adder-
lev's decision to remove
the receivers. Clifford and

Myles C(ulmer, the GBPA
and Port Group Ltd
Boards did not have
enough directors "to form
a quorum".
This resulted in the two
Boards being unable "to
conduct any business" and,

for a two-month period
since March 7, 2008, they
were unable to meet
because they were in non-
compliance with their Arti-
cles of Association.
Further problems were
caused by the Hayward and
St George sides being
unable to agree upon an
independent chairman for
both the GBPA and Port
Group Ltd, as had been
ordered by Justice
Adderley, Mr Whittaker
alleged.

Alleviated
This situation was ulti-
mately alleviated by Jus-
tice Adderley's May 7,
2008, ruling that Felix
Stubbs and Erik Chris-
tiansen by appointed to the
GBPA and Port Group Ltd
Boards, with Seashells
Investments, a company
controlled by the trustees
of the Hayward family
trust, substituted for Sir

Jack as a person able to
nominate a director to the
Board.
In the meantime, though,
Mr Whittaker alleged that
the GBPA and Port Group
Ltd's immediate holding
company, Intercontinental
Diversified Corporation
(IDC), had issued an April
6, 2008, summons seeking
a Supreme Court order
that the St George estate
pay $15 million into court
to cover what it claimed
were damages resulting
from the receivership.
"I verily believe that
unless a stay of the order
made by Justice Adderley
is granted, and a stay of
any further proceedings
before Justice Adderley is
granted pending the deter-
mination of this appeal, the
appellants' interests will be
irreparably harmed in that
their rights under Article
20 (8) of the constitution
will continue to be
breached," Mr Whittaker
alleged.

* By CARA
BRENNEN-BETHEL
Tribune Business
Reporter
PUBLIC consultations
on the National Energy
Policy will begin this sum-
mer in earnest, Phenton
Neymour. the minister of
state with responsibility
for public utilities, said.
As fuel prices continue
to skyrocket and impose a
burden on every Bahami-
an's purse, Mr Neymour
said the country must seri-
ously address the options
for alternative energy sup-
plies.
Speaking at the Meet
the Ministers Forum,
sponsored by the
Bahamas Chamber of
Commerce, Mr Neymour
responded to concerns
that .nothing much was
happening in regard to
developing a National
Energy Policy. He said the
Government was commit-
ted to it, and there was a
definite strategy in place.
Mr Neymour said the
Government would wel-
come the input of industry
leaders, in repsonse to a
question raised by a car
dealer, who said his sector
which obviously has a
major impact on fuel and
energy usage had not yet
been approached for con-
sultation.
Mr Neymour added that
it was vital that BEC and
the Water and Sewerage
Corporation improve
their quality of service, in
particular on dealing with
customer complaints.
To this end, Mr Ney-
mour said the two corpo-
rations were in the final
stages of implementing
call centres, which will
allow them to quickly and
effectively collect and
respond to complaints
from members of the pub-
lic.

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PAGE 2B, MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008

THE TRIBUNE

THETRBUE ONDYJUEI0NE00,SAG 3

Bahamas 'more corn

over

FATF than EU list members

Law firm says Bahamas 45%

fully in line with FATF, much

better than major nations

* By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
THE Bahamas should rightly
be "bewildered" at why it is not
on the European Union's (EU)
so-called 'White List' of financial
centres with robust anti-money
laundering regimes, a UK-based
law firm finding this nation was
more compliant with the Finan-
cial Action Task Force's (FATF)
recommendations than many
countries on the list.
The BakerPlatt Group, which
has offices in London and the
Channel Islands, said that based
upon its review of the Bahamas'
third mutual evaluation report by
the Caribbean Financial Action
Task Force (CFATF), this nation
was 45 per cent compliant with
the regional parent's recommen-
dations on combating money
laundering and terror financing.
This contrasted sharply with
the likes of Australia and Canada,
both EU 'white list' members,
who were respectively found to
be fully compliant with only 24
per cent and 14 per cent of the
FATF's recommendations.
Commenting on the EU 'White
List' membership, Stephen Platt,
BakerPlatt's group chairman,
said: "The bewilderment should
not be restrained to Jersey alone.
"Recent FATF assessments of
the Bahamas and Cayman
showed that they significantly out-
performed most of the countries
on the White List, having been
found to be compliant or largely
compliant with 45 per cent and
78 per cent respectively of the
FATF recommendations."
That supports the views of
numerous Bahamian attorneys
and financial sector profession-
als, who have argued that this
nation's standards on anti-money
laundering, anti-terror financing,
Know Your Customer (KYC)

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and corporate governance are
much tougher than those of most
EU countries,
Brian Moree, senior partner at
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes,
told The Tribune that by seem-
ingly making it more difficult for
the Bahamas and other interna-
tional financial centres to do busi-
ness with EU members, the so-
called 'white list' was designed
"tq create leverage for the EU as
they attempt to impose their will
on international financial centres
around the world".
"This whole initiative seems to
be another manifestation of the
EU and some of its organs basi-
cally trying to impose their will
on other international financial
centres in a way which is not con-
sistent with international devel-
opments," Mr Moree said.
"It seems to me to be another
initiative which is primarily an
anti-competitive initiative. You're
dealing primarily with issues of
competition, not anti-money laun-
dering, KYC and anti-terror
financing."
By creating these difficulties,
the EU was hoping to force inter-
national centres to adopt its rec-
ommendations in order to obtain
membership. Describing this as
"a most unfortunate and inap-
propriate approach", Mr Moree
added: "In my view, the more
transparent and reasonable
approach would be to accept
there needs to be a level playing
field, to the extent that they
would wish to see a commitment
to good faith negotiations without
the threat of keeping someone
on a list or keeping someone off a
list".
*While there was a concern that
the anti-competitive nature of the
EU 'white list' could cost the
Bahamas business and clients, Mr
Moree said it was not yet clear
whether this would become the

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that SKYROCKETS your
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reality. The Bahamas could only
judge its impact when the EU and
its members attempted to imple-
ment it on the ground.
"There is a real concern it
could make doing business more
difficult for countries not on the
list. Whether it proves a signifi-
cant threat to our business in the
Bahamas remains to be seen," Mr
Moree told The Tribune.
"It's early days, and we will
have to wait and see how signifi-
cant this development is. I don't
know if it's going to be a major
issue or not."
He added that it was difficult to
detect the criteria the EU had
used to determine membership
of its 'White List', citing the inclu-
sion of countries that had not
enjoyed a good anti-money laun-
dering reputation in the past.
If the EU was trying to assess
the quality of Know Your Cus-
tomer (KYC), anti-money laun-
dering and anti-terror financing
initiatives, Mr Moree said it was
"difficult to understand how it
can be said that the Bahamas is
not among the top jurisdictions
in the world.
"It is simply an objective fact
that by international standards
the Bahamas has some of the
most comprehensive and robust
anti-money laundering laws and
anti-terror financing. Our KYC
standards are among the highest
in the world."
To combat the EY initiative,
Mr Moree said the Bahamas
needed to be proactive in "get-
ting the message out to all rele-
vant constituencies" and show,
through empirical data and analy-
ses that it had the most stringent
KYC, anti-money laundering,
anti-terror financing and corpo-
rate governance laws in the world.

NASSAU FLIGHT SERVICES DOES IT AGAIN

Air Canada's Nassau station has released it's On Time performance (OTP) report for 2007 vs.
2006 targets.

Air Canada's OTP target was 80 percent and the overall OTP achieved by Nassau Flight
Services was 88 percent, with the months of June and September achieving an OTP of 100
percent.

Air Canada's Nassau station is handled by Nassau Flight Services Ltd. whose mission is to
provide superior, reliable, cost efficient Ground Handling and Airport Management services
while sustaining long term, profitable growth for shareholders and maintaining a global
leadership position in aviation services. Nassau Flight Services boasts of the fact that there has
not been an accident or incident involving an Air Canada aircraft in over five years.

Air Canada's team is led by Greg Tai (station manager), Donna Sherman and Jenessa
Ferguson.

Photo shows: Greg Tai, Station Manager, Air Canada and Plato Thompson, Assistant General
Manager/Operations, Nassau Flight Services Ltd. (centre) along with members of the Nassau
Flight Services team.

1--a

SCH ER
member of the QNB Group

The Ansbacher Group, specialists in private banking, fiduciary
services and wealth Management has an opening in The Bahamas for
the position of

TRUST MANAGER

To profitably and effectively administer and manage client relationships
and portfolios of Trusts, Companies, Estates, Family Offices and other
related financial structures to achieve the client's requirements and
objectives while safeguarding the related assets and professional
reputation of the company within the required legal, financial and other
parameters.

The successful candidate must have the following qualifications and
experience:

10+ years trust experience with sound knowledge of fiduciary products
and services

GOLDWELL BANKER Lightbourn
Realty has appointed Carmen Massoni as
its executive vice-president.
The announcement was made by Mike
Lightbourn, the company's president.
Ms Massoni, who has received an array
of international awards for outstanding
sales performance, will take on several
new responsibilities, including sales man-
ager.
She also will assist in the development of
human resources, new products and part-
nerships.
Ms Massoni joined Coldwell Banker
Lightbourn Realty in 1994 as a sales asso-
ciate.
She became a broker three years later.
In 1999, she was certified as a Previews
Specialist, a title designated for top agents
who sell properties on a consistent basis
valued at over $500,000.
In 2000, she was chosen as one of Cold-
well Banker Corporation's International
President's Elite an honour given to
the top 4 per cent of its sales force.

Honour
In 2001 she was admitted to the Presi-
dent's Premier, and was chosen as the
No.1 agent in gross commission income
for Coldwell Banker Island Affiliates, an
honour reserved for the top 1 per cent of
the sales associates worldwide.
Since then, she has consistently been in
the President's Elite and Circle designa-
tions times.
"Carmen has been an invaluable mem-
ber of our team since 1994," Mr Light-
bourn said.
"She has steadily increased her sales
output and has become a very valuable
member of our team.
"She has given invaluable assistance to
numerous agents, both in Nassau and the
Out Islands, and this is a natural progres-
sion for her in her chosen field.
"I know she will be able to help the
company increase its market share and
continue to help agents increase their pro-
ductivity and expertise.

"The other areas will also be a natural
extension of her present efforts. We wel-
come her promotion."
Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty has
offices and sales reps in Nassau, Abaco,
Andros, the Berry Islands, Eleuthera
and Harbour Island, Exuma and Long
Island.
It is part of an international network of
approximately 3,800 residential real estate
offices and more than 120,000 sales asso-
ciates in 39 countries and territories.

An entrepreneurial spirit, original thinking, and a passion to succeed.
If you have it, we want you.

We are growing!
Fidelity invites applications for the position of:

SUPERVISOR, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

PROFILE

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THE
FOLLOWING MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

* Industry certifications such as CISSP or CCNA, would be
an asset
* A minimum of 5 years experience in Systems
Administration preferably in a banking or other
financial institution
* Past experience in a supervisory role
* Proven project management skills
* Must be able to work non-business hours as required

Excellent written and oral communication skills

The successful applicant will primarily be responsible for
supervising the overall IT functions of the Fidelity
operations in the Bahamas and to work in conjunction
with the regional IT departments.

AN ATTRACTIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGE, INCLUDING A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF EMPLOYEE
BENEFITS, IS BEING OFFERED. SALARY RANGE SUBJECT TO QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE.

The Scotiabank

Rate Booster Deposit

Combines the higher interest rates of a longer term
investment with the flexibility of a short term deposit.

Your interest rate increases twice during the term
of your investment, so your money is guaranteed to
grow faster! Plus you have access to your money at
two set dates within the term of your deposit, giving
you penalty free access to your money

Visit your nearest Scotiabank branch today.

t Some conditions apply Rates subject to change
* Isademarks of The Bank of Nova Scotia
Trademarks used under license and control of The Bank of Nova Scotia L

COMMONWEALTH
BANK has appointed
Maxwell R. Jones as its assis-
tant vice-president for busi-
ness development.
"In his new role", said
William B. Sands, Jr., Com-
monwealth Bank's president
and chief executive, "Maxwell
Jones will assist the senior
vice-president of the newly-
formed business development,
sales and marketing division
by enhancing the development
and delivery of Common-
wealth Bank's specialised
products and services to our
valued clientele and continue
to expand our footprint in the
marketplace.
"Additionally, Maxwell
Jones will spearhead go-to-
market strategies that rein-
force the
Commonwealth Bank
brand, expand Common-
wealth's customer base, and
offer additional services to
existing customers."
During his tenure with the
bank, Mr. Jones has held
numerous managerial level
positions, including branch
manager in both Grand
Bahama and Abaco. In his
most recent role, he served as
senior manager of our Golden
Gates Branch.
Mr. Jones joined Common-
wealth Bank over 26 years ago
and holds a Master's Degree
in Business Administration
and a Certificate in Interna-
tional Finance from the Uni-
versity of Miami. He has also
completed a series of profes-
sional management and lead-

ership courses and seminars
both locally and abroad,
including the Management
Program at the Richard Ivey
School of Business in London,
Ontario and the Kenan Fla-
gler School of Business at the
University of North Carolina,
U.S.A.

I

Rea .1 -Es

CX'Z TCQ~..
Mlbvingi Fiiaa ji~id:t~rf SvcEn'i

Citco Fund Services is a division of the Citco Group of Companies
: and:is the largest independent administrator of.Hedge Fggs in.the -.:
world with offices in Curacao, isterdam, DublifiiLondon,
Luxembourg, Miami, New York, Toronto, Cayman Islands, the British
Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Bermuda, San Francisco and Sydney. The
division provides full service administration to over 2,000 Hedge Funds
for multinational banks and international Investment Managers, totaling
over $420 billion in net assets.

As part of our continued expansion in our office in the Bahamas, we
are looking for a number of motivated and pro-active

(Senior) Investor Relations Administrators
who are capable of providing excellent customer service, in an
international and dynamic environment, for our clients who consist of
shareholders and international investment managers within those Hedge
Funds. The Investor Relations Administrator is the main contact for the
shareholder, investor, investment managers, advisors, and third parties,
as appropriate.
Your most important tasks and responsibilities are:
perform shareholder record keeping and report shareholder
information to the appropriate parties
maintain contact with shareholders/investors, investment managers,
banks and brokers
supervise and guide the Assistant Investor Relations Administrators
handle payment transactions
liaise with clients and other Citco offices, to ensure that client needs
are met
The successful candidate should meet the following criteria:
a bachelors degree in administration, economics or business related
area
affinity with figures
a team player, able to cope with individual responsibilities
ability to multi-task and operate in a fast-paced working environment
highly accurate with outstanding communication skills
working experience in the financial area is an advantage
We offer you: a challenging job in a rapidly expanding international
company, with an informal company culture. You will have the
opportunity to broaden your knowledge with excellent prospects for a
further international career.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please send your Curriculum
Vitae and covering letter via e-mail at the latest on July 4, 2008 to:
Citco Fund Services (Bahamas) Ltd., att. Managing Director, Human
Resources Manager: hrbahamas@citco.com. You can find more
information about our organization, on our website:www.citco.com.

BANK OF THE BAHAMAS LIMITED IS
PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE A DIVIDEND
PAYMENT TO ALL HOLDERS OF CLASS
A AND B PREFERENCE SHARES AS OF
JUNE 30, 2008 PAYABLE WITHIN TEN
BUSINESS DAYS OF THE RECORD DATE
THROUGH CFAL LTD.

k

I

THE I HIBUIrt

IVIUIIUAY, JUNLt OU, -UUO, -Me 1 O

WAREHOUSE for

RENT

Gladstone Road North

14'800 SQ FT, 22'
Floor to ceiling modern, complete
with admin. offices secure, fenced in with all
utilities ample parking in front additional space at rear,
perfect for storage including containers, on cleared
leveled land to rear boundary.

Ideal for Contractor

Tel: 461-6104
Serious Inquiries Only

Legal Notice
NOTICE

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
COMPANIES ACT
No. 45 of 2000

BROGGINI GMBH

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section
137 of The International Business Companies Act No. 45
of 2000, BROGGINI GMBH is in dissolution. The date
of commencement of dissolution was the 24th day of June
2008. Elizabeth A, Smith of Nassau, Bahamas is the Liq-
uidator of BROGGINI GMBH.

Elizabeth A.Smith
LIQUIDATOR

Ansbacher formal sales

process has 'just started'

FROM page one

intend to split Ansbacher
(Bahamas) up and sell off
its different portfolios as a
means of realizing greater
value, and instead planned
to sell the bank in its
entirety with the business
remaining in the Bahamas
- a much-needed boost for
the Bahamian financial ser-
vices industry.
Acknowledging that
speculation about Ans-
bacher (Bahamas) being
for sale had surfaced on-
and-off in the Bahamian
financial services industry
since QNB acquired the
worldwide group in 2004,
Mr Mayhew-Arnold said
on Friday that the decision
to undertake a formal sales
process for the bank
had "only recently been
decided a week or so
ago".
He confirmed: "The real
decision has literally only
just been made at the end
of last week.
"We've only just appoint-
ed a broker to sell it. Lit-
erally, it is that far devel-
oped.
"The process is long and
complex, and it's literally

.,'a~ ,,

Visit our website at www.cob.edu.bs

COEF =INVENTORY

1stJul. Chapt Oneapl og1iz f nnience

PRE-TECH & ENGINEERING PROGRAMMES

FALL 2008

The College of The Bahamas invites persons interested in taking the Pre-Tech and
Engineering (civil, mechanical and electrical) programmes for this Fall semester to
apply on or before July 15th, 2008.

Persons with fewer than five (5) BGCSE's will be considered for the Pre-Tech
Programme which leads directly to the Engineering Programme.

The benefits of studying science and technology at the College of The Bahamas are:
The classes are small
The areas of study are relevant to industry
The courses are taught by professors who are conducting world-
recognized research

Application forms may be obtained from the Office of Admissions, located in the
Portia Smith Student Services Building, Poinciana Drive.

For more information, call the Office of Admissions at 302-4398/9
...................................................................................................-

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

For

WEBPAGE DEVELOPMENT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

The College of The Bahamas is accepting proposals to design the look and format
for a new website and for the development of a content management system to
manage the site. This will involve the graphic design concept for the website and
the development of a content management system.

To obtain a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP)
or to make inquiries, please contact:

Maelynn Major
The College of The Bahamas
Office of External Affairs
P.O. Box N4912
Oakes Field Campus
Nassau, The Bahamas

only just started."
Tribune Business under-
stands that plans to split-
off Ansbacher (Bahamas)
Bahamian dollar portfolio
from its international busi-
ness had previously been
mulled, while potential
suitors might include Sco-
tiatrust and Butterfield
Bank.
Mr Mayhew-Arnold told
Tribune Business he was
unable to comment on any
institutions who may have
shown informal interest in
acquiring Ansbacher
(Bahamas), although it was
common practice for all
institutions including his
own to frequently assess
potential acquisition
opportunities.

Operation
"Our position is this. It
is that we would intend to
keep this operation togeth-
er as much as possible," Mr
Mayhew-Arnold said in
response to whether Ans-
bacher (Bahamas) would
be broken up.
"We do not intend to sell
bits of it, or break up any
of it.
"That is our position in
selling it. The plan we
have, and we think it is a
good plan, does not call for
that."
Pointing to the fact that
Ansbacher (Bahamas) cel-
ebrated its 50th anniver-

sary last year, having first
been established in 1957 as
the Bahamas International
Trust Company (BITCO),
Mr Mayhew-Arnold added:
"We intend for it to be
around a lot longer, and
intend to grow what we
have now, not reduce what
we have right now. That's
the intention going for-
ward.
"We are a small, niche
private bank. We do not
intend to be a massive
bank.
"We are very focused on
what we do. We are
focused on family offices,
private banking, wealth
creation, and high net
worth individuals, and our
focus is to deliver a quality
product.
"Not everybody wants to
be a huge bank.
"Clients want quality ser-
vice, quality delivery and a
bank that does not pretend
to be bigger than it is."
Mr Mayhew-Arnold
added: "Our growth is sim-
ply based on that, and
doing business with the
people we want to do busi-
ness with.
"That might be a novel
idea for a bank, but to
remain focused on what we
are, rather than what we
are not, is key to our
future."
The Ansbacher
(Bahamas) managing direc-
tor said it was just the

group's institutions in this
nation and the Channel
Islands that had formally
been placed on the market.
Given the difference in
geography, he suggested it
was likely they would be
sold to separate buyers.
On QNB's reasons for
selling, Mr Mayhew-
Arnold said simply: "It's a
long, long way from home
if you're in Doha, and
they're very tied up in that
region.

Region
"The Caribbean region is
so far away, and the cul-
ture and business mix is
different.
"It's not because they
don't want to keep it they
are very pleased with the
Caribbean operation."
The Ansbacher
(Bahamas) managing direc-
tor said the institution and
its 60-strong staff would
grow the business through
entering other markets that
they were not in today.
He added: "We see this
market as a very good mar-
ket to be operating in.
"The Bahamas is a very
good fit for us, and clients
like to come here.
"We consider that we
will be big players, and a
leading brand in the juris-
diction.
"We will grow signifi-
cantly."

GN-704

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES

Vacancy For (21 Trainee

Assistant Archivists, Scale I,

Department Of Archives (Ministry Of

Education, Youth, Sports And Culturel

Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons for appointment to
the position of Trainee Assistant Archivist, Scale I, Department of Archives,
Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Nassau, The Bahamas.

Requirements for the post:

Bachelor of Arts Degree in History or English and /or training in Archives
Administration at an accredited institution or on-the-job training through an
attachment to an archival institution, locally or overseas.
or
Associate of Arts Degree in History or English and/or training in Archives
Administration at an accredited institution or on-the-job training through an
attachment to an archival institution, locally or overseas.

Specific duties of the post include the following:

Accompanying the Archivists on appraisal exercises;
Observing the implementation of the General International Standard of
Archival Description (ISAD (G)) during the arrangement and description
exercise;
Becoming familiar with the Archival Code of Ethics;
Becoming familiar with the Archival Acquisition Policy;
Assisting with the sorting, arrangement and description of records;
Assisting the Research Room Supervisor in identifying documents for
preservation and conservation;
Registering the temperature and humidity of the repository;
Any other duties.

The salary of the post is in Scale I $10,700 x 400 to $25,500 per annum (July
2006 salary). Starting salary will be commensurate with qualifications and
experience.

Serving officers should apply through their Heads of Department.

Application forms may be obtained from the Department of Public Service,
Poinciana Hill Complex, Meeting Street. They must be returned complete with
original qualifications and documentary proof of relevant experience, to reach
the Secretary, Public Service Commission, Poinciana Hill Complex, Meeting
Street, no later than 25 July, 2008.

Prenell King-Rolle (Mrs)
Public Service Commission

PAGE 6B, MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008

THE TRIBUNE

THEINESS T

Non-peplorming

loans close to 5%

'dificul' threshold

FROM page one

91 days or more overdue
totalled 4.9 per cent of those
outstanding.
"I think overall delin-
quencies under 5 per
cent is tolerable," Mr
Sunderji said. "If we go
north of that, which we
may, because the cycle
we are in has a little
more time to run, then
it might get a little more
difficult."
Non-performing com-
mercial bank loans in
the Bahamas increased
by 11.4 per cent or $28.8
million during the first
four months of 2008, to
end April at $280.6 mil-
lion. The total percent-
age of non-performing
loans rose by 0.5 per
cent to 4.9 per cent.
Meanwhile, private
sector loans in arrears
for between 30-90 days
rose by 2.2 per cent or
$11.8 million during the
first four months of
2008 to reach $541.8
million. The latter fig-
ure was 9.4 per cent of
total loans.
Loans in arrears for
between 30-90 days
were not the major con-
cern for Bahamian com-
mercial banks, Mr Sun-
derji said, because they
frequently resulted from
time lags and persons
being away on holiday.
Instead, the Bahamian
commercial banking
sector was far more
focused on the non-per-
forming loans that were
90 days overdue because
those had "a dramatic
hit on bank profitabili-
ty".
"We will be monitor-
ing this very closely and
managing them, so they
stay around this level of
5 per cent or below. We
have to work hard at
aioing that," Mr Sunder-
ji added.

BEC's LNG supply plan would

'slash' the pollution level

FROM page one

to less than 1,500 tonnes.
This, AES said, would
reduce BEC emissions of this
pollutant, which results from
the burning of diesel oil, by
almost 40 per cent per
annum.
Finally, when it came to
carbon dioxide emissions,
AES said the switch to LNG
would reduce BEC's carbon
dioxide emissions by 150,000
tonnes per year, falling from
just over 600,000 tonnes to
around 450,000 tonnes.
The release of this data,
designed to show that the
AES proposal will provide
environmental benefits as
well as financial ones to BEC
and the Bahamas, seems to
be part of a PR offensive
designed to ensure the LNG
project crosses the final gov-
ernment and regulatory
approval hurdles.
Apart from reducing the
Bahamas pollution and emis-
sions footprint, Tribune

Share

your

news
The Tribune wants to hear
from people who are
making news in their
neighborhoods. Perhaps
you are raising funds for a
good cause, campaigning
for improvements in the
area or have'wo an
award. -
If so, call us on 322-1986
and share your story.

Business reported on Friday
how AES had estimated that
supplying BEC with LNG
for its combustion turbines
at Blue Hills would save the
Corporation between $80
million to $210 million on its
annual diesel fuel bill.
This translated into cost
savings of between $1.4 to $4
billion on BEC's fuel bill
over a 15-year period
between 2012 to 2028,
depending on global oil
prices. Currently, diesel fuel
costs $30 per one million
British thermal units
(BTUs), while the same
quantity of LNG costs
between $12-$13.
In addition to its Florida
pipeline, AES is now propos-
ing to build a 120-mile, 10-
inch pipeline from its Ocean
Cay terminal to Clifton Point
in New Providence. The
pipeline route will go well to
the north of Andros, before
following a path through the
Tongue of the Ocean, in a
project estimated to cost
between $150-$200 million
and take one year to com-
plete.

AND IN THE MATTER of
THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
COMPANIES ACT Ch. 309 Statute Laws of
The Bahamas, 2000 Edition

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that by an
Order of the Supreme Court in the above mat-
ter, dated the 16th day of June, 2008, it was
ordered that the said Company be wound up
by the Court under the provisions of the Inter-
national Companies Act, 2000.

Dated the 26th day of June, 2008

Lynden Maycock
Official Liquidator

LOT NUMBER 20- BLOCK 8 OF SEA BREEZE

A- Four Bedrooms, two bathrooms, single-family residence, with living room, dining room,
family room, covered porch, foyer, kitchen, laundry room with own half bathroom and a
two-car carport. Building has an effective age of Twenty-two years and a gross floor area
of 3,395 sq, ft. Land size is 10,000 sq. ft.
The building is located on the southern side of Silver Palm Grove, 400 feet west of Silver.
Palm Lane or 200 feet of Silver Palm Boulevard.
For conditions of sale and any other information, please contact:
Credit Risk Management Collection Unit At:
502-0929 or 356-1608
Interested persons should submit offers in writing addressed to:
The Manager, Credit Risk Management-Collection Unit
P. 0. Box N-7518, Nassau, Bahamas
To reach us before July 31, 2008
Serious Enquires Only

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008, PAGE 7B

THE TRIBUNE

City Markets owner denies

Royal Bank 'takeover'

rumour

FROM page one

date is around July 11.
"We hope they should be fin-
ished very soon, hopefully no
later than the middle of next
month," Mr Sands said.
That date will be more than a
year since Bahamas Supermar-
kets' 2007 financial year ended
on June 30.
Mr Sands declined to com-
ment on the reasons for the pro-
tracted (and embarrassing, it has
to be said) delay in publishing
the 2007 audited financial state-

ments.
He also refused to comment
on claims made to Tribune Busi-
ness that Bahamas Supermar-
kets had experienced cash flow
issues as a result of its decision
to declare dividends, needed to
service BSL Holdings' debt to
Royal Bank, and its store-wide
technology system roll-out being
too aggressive.
Tribune Business understands
that the speculation relating to
Royal Bank of Canada taking
over Bahamas Supermarkets
may have resulted from the
bank working closely with BSL

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 137 (8) of
the International Business Companies Act 2000 the Dissolution of
ANCIENT INVESTMENT LTD has been completed, a Certificate
of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been
struck off the Register of Companies.

The Date of the Completion of dissolution was the 30th day of May
2008

.^ ~ ~ 4.'!'.".".-
7ftGini "---^

Holdings, the company's major-
ity shareholder, at "a consul-
tancy level" to rectify the back-
office systems issues that caused
the audit woes.
Sources close to BSL Hold-
ings, which holds a 78 per cent
stake in Bahamas Supermarkets,
said the $24 million Royal Bank
loan that helped to finance the
company's purchase from Winn-
Dixie was not secured on
Bahamas Supermarkets or the
operating company's assets.
Instead, it was pegged at the
BSL Holdings level, meaning it
could not move to take over the
operating company.
The delay in publishing not
just the 2007 full-year audited
financial statements, but also
numbers for the first three quar-
ters in 2008, is understood to
have created problems for BSL
Holdings because it put the buy-
out group technically in breach
of one of its banking covenants
with Royal Bank.
This particular covenant
required BSL Holdings to pro-
vide financial reporting updates
to Royal Bank within a certain
time period after each quarter
ended. This it was unable to do
because of the. issues at
Bahamas Supermarkets, lead-
ing Royal Bank to work more
closely with its lending counter-
party.
Among the consultant team

assembled to sort out Bahamas
Supermarkets' back office issues
is accountant Alison Treco, of
FT Consulting, and several
accountants from Deloitte and
Touche (Bahamas).
One source admitted that
Bahamas Supermarkets had
been dealing with an "invoice
backlog" from suppliers, but
they added that inventory and
payables records had now been
brought up to date.
Once the 2007 financial state-
ments were out of the way,
Bahamas Supermarkets wanted
to begin the 2008 audit within
two months of year-end by
August, 2008, the source saying
the company was close to
putting all its back office transi-
tion and reporting issues behind
it.
On the sales side, the super-
market chain was said to be
doing better than ever.
As previously revealed by Tri-
bune Business, the delay in the
2007 financial statements and
audit has been caused by the
transition from the former
majority shareholder, Winn-
Dixie, to the new owners,
Bahamian and Barbadian buy-
out group, BSL Holdings. This
consortium acquired the major-
ity 78 per cent stake in Bahamas
Supermarkets for $54 million,
plus $2-$3 million in acquisition
costs, in summer 2006.

^ The Tribune

will be publishing its annual

supplement in August/September. In preparation for the supplement, which will
feature all graduating seniors who will be attending university/college, whether
locally or abroad, we invite all parents, guardians and graduating seniors to submit
a profile on the graduate, along with a photograph and contact information.

* Name of student
* High School you are graduating from
" Age
* Name of parents
* A list of exams already taken and the results eg Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC)
exams and Pitman exams
* A list of exams expected to be taken Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary
Education (BGCSE) exams
* The college/university they expect to attend eg College of the Bahamas, Harvard
University, University of Miami
* Name of degree expected to be sought eg Bachelors degree in English, Bachelors
degree in biology
* What career they expect to enter once their education is completed a doctor, Math
teacher, engineer
* All extracurricular activities club memberships, team sports/track and field, church
activities
* A list of honours/awards/recognition student has received

Please include your telephone/contact information and also note that photos will not be
returned. Forward all information to Lisa Lawlor, Tribune Junior Reporter at e-mail
lisalawlor@gmail.com or features@tribunemedia.net -please note 'Back To School' ii
the subject line. The information may also be hand delivered or mailed to

Back To School
The Tribune
Shirley and Deveaux Streets
P O Box N-3207
Nassau, Bahamas.

The audit problems stemmed
from the fact that Bahamas
Supermarkets shed Winn-Dix-
ie's operating support and tech-
nology systems in early 2007 -
the second half of its financial
year without any replacement
accounting system being in
place.
This forced KPMG auditors
to have to rely on manual
records when verifying the
financial, requiring them to
have gone through hundreds of
point-of-sale records from the
company's 12 stores to build a
sample large enough to be able
to support their conclusions and
give the Bahamas Supermarkets
accounts an unqualified opin-
ion.
Given that Bahamas Super-
markets generates between
$130-$140 million in annual
sales, this is no small task.
One source said Bahamas
Supermarkets had been "pen-
ny wise and pound foolish", as
its eagerness to exit a transition
agreement with Winn-Dixie -
something that would have
caused it to pay $1 million a
year, plus a five per cent mark-
up on all goods purchased via
the US retailer had left it with-
out replacement systems.
The early exit from the tran-
sition agreement saved
Bahamas Supermarkets
$500,000, but that could easily

be sucked up by extra audit
costs.
Investors will be eager to see
whether Bahamas Supermarkets
has remained profitable, given
that its BSL Holdings majority
owner is reliant on dividends
upstreamed from the company
to service the $5 million prefer-
ence shares and $24 million
Royal Bank debt it took on to
finance the acquisition.
Many observers in the super-
market and financial communi-
ties believe that BSL Holdings
massively overpaid for Winn-
Dixie's 78 per cent stake, possi-
bly by as much as $15-$20 mil-
lion.
In the run-up to the summer
2006 purchase, a number of
sources told Tribune Business
that Bahamas Supermarkets was
valued, at most, at $30-$35 mil-
lion, as the company did not
own any of its stores or head
office.
They argued that the compa-
ny's thinly-traded shares on the
over-the-counter market were
overvalued, and not a true
reflection of the company's
worth.
BSL Holdings' investors
include Barbados Shipping and
Trading, Fidelity's private equi-
ty arm, the hotel industry pen-
sion funds and well-known
Bahamian wholesaler and busi-
nessman, Franklyn Butler.

In Just One Day!
Our DuraBath SSP Bathtubs & Wall Systems
are custom made to cover worn-out bathtubs
and out-of-date wall tiles...
No Mess. No Stress.
No Inconvenience.

UBS (Bahamas) Ltd. is one of the world's leading
financial institutions in the Caribbean. Our Business
Area Wealth Management International looks after
wealthy private clients by providing them with
comprehensive, value enhancing services. Our client
advisors combine strong personal relationships with
the resources that are available from across UBS, helping
them provide a full range of wealth management services.

In order to strengthen our team in Nassau, we are looking
to fill the following position:

Client Relationship Manager

In this challenging position you will be responsible for
the following tasks (traveling required):

Advisory of existing clients
Acquisition of high net worth individuals
Presentation and implementation of investment
solutions in French and English

said in his Budget speech: "For
example, the 42 per cent rate
on golf clubs and balls, and on
carpets and other textile floor
coverings, becomes 45 per cent,
while the 17 per cent rate on
outboard motors, or on electric
generating sets, becomes 15 per
cent."
Although conceding that
many in the private sector may
not have tuned into Mr Ingra-
ham's Budget debate speech,
and therefore not realized "the
devil is in the detail" when it
came to the 2008-2009 Budget,
Mr D'Aguilar said it was the
"rationale" behind why certain
tariff rates were not being
rounded to the nearest figure -
and instead increased that
'needed to be explained.
Adding that some might
think the Government was "giv-
ing with one hand and taking
away with the other", the
Chamber president said it was
possible that the 'rounding exer-
cise' could in some cases negate
- and actually increase taxes
on the 160 food items where the
Government had chosen to
eliminate the 2 per cent Stamp
Tax.
Although it is not known
whether any of the 160 food
items are included in the
'rounding' exercise, it is cer-
tainly possible that the amalga-
mated duty rate may have
increased. Take, for instance, a
food item upon which 32 per
cent import duties were

Businesses questioning

tariff rounding 'rationale'

imposed, and a 2 per cent
Stamp Duty.
While the latter had now
been eliminated, it was possi-
ble the 'rounding' exercise may
have increased the total duty
rate to 35 per cent 1 per cent
more than previously.
"The rounding thing, while it
sounds quite normal and may
balance things out, is causing a
bit of confusion in the process,"
Mr D'Aguilar told Tribune
Business. "In school, 42 was
rounded down and 43 was
rounded up.
"There is now the perception
that what has been given is now
being taken back. It is another 3
per cent. It's instant."
Zhivargo Laing, minister of
state for finance, acknowledged
that the 'rounding' exercise
could increase the total tax rate
applied to "some items".
However, he said the Gov-
ernment had to strike a balance
in its 2008-2009 Budget between
providing Bahamians with some
relief on inflation and soaring

NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that FRIDLAIS FRANCOIS
of MT. PLEASANT OFF KEMP ROAD, NASSAU,
BAHAMAS, is applying to the Minister responsible for
Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization
as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person
who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization
should not be granted, should send a written and signed
statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the
23RD day of JUNE 2008 to the Minister responsible for
Nationality and Citizenship, P.O.Box N- 7147, Nassau,
Bahamas. -

Al1 that parcel of Vacant Land containing 25,000
square feet or .57 acres situate in Unit 1 of Cannon
Bay Subdivision. The property is located on the west
side of Breech Drive, north of Cannon Ball Lane,
and is one hundred and twenty-five feet along the
waterway. All the roads are paved with asphalt and
all utilities are in place. The area is approximately
seven miles east of the Commercial District of
Freeport.

For conditions of sale and any other information.
'please contact:
Credit Risk Management Collection Unit
At: 502-0929 or 356-1608

as a PARTNER of the firm. Mr. Maynard practices
in the areas of civil litigation including: insurance,
international fraud, asset recovery, insolvency and
debt collection; and commercial areas including:
resort development, conveyancing and mortgages.
He has gained extensive experience in these areas
as an Associate Attorney with the firm since 2001.
He is a graduate of McGill University, University of
London and BPP Law School where he obtained
a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws and
completed the Bar Vocational Course respectively.
He was called to the Bar of England and Wales and
The Bahamas Bar in 2001.

costs of living, driven by energy
and food costs, and generating
enough revenue so that the
administration could be fiscally
responsible and fund its own
operational costs.
Referring to the rate round-
ing, Mr Laing said: "Ultimately,
the Government has to do this
exercise so as to provide the
maximum relief without com-
promising its fiscal situation.
"Ultimately, the Government
would not have wanted to do
the exercise simply to lose rev-
enue. On the one hand, you're
giving massive relief." As a
result, the Government then
had to determine which Tariff
and Excise Tax rates to 'round
up', and which to 'round down',
to ensure the books balanced
and fiscal goals were met.
However, one large
Bahamas-based grocery chain,
which requested anonymity,
said it had "been led to believe
that a lot" of tariff rates on gro-
cery items were going to be
rounded up with effect from
July 1 tomorrow. Janitorial

and cleaning products were
said to be an area of major con-
cern.
Meanwhile, Mr D'Aguilar
said the concerns on tariff rate
rounding had been compound-
ed by a Bahamas Customs
directive issued last week, which
warned businesses and their
brokers that all shipments cur-
rently sitting on the Dock must
be paid for, cleared and
processed by 4pm today if they
are not to be taxed at the new
Budget tariff rates come tomor-
row.
This, he said, had thrown
many Bahamnian wholesalers
"into a dither, because they
have to pay for everything as
quickly as possible to ensure
they get it in at a lower tax
rate".
Apart from the immediate
tariff rate issue, Mr D'Aguilar
and others said customs brokers
and importers might be faced
with a short-term cash flow/liq-
uidity issue as a result of the
Customs directive.
Normally, such companies

NEEDED

The Anglican Central Education Authority invites
applications from qualified Bahamians for the
position of VICE PRINCIPAL of St. John's College
Preparatory Department beginning September 2008.

The Applicant must have a Degree in Education
from a recognized University, with at least 5 years
accumulative experience. The applicant must also be
computer literate.

operate on a 10-day Customs
bond, which gives them 10 days
to pay for, process and clear all
incoming client consignments
with the Customs Department.
Given the urgency to remove
the latest cargoes from the
docks as rapidly as possible,
some may have to draw down
heavily on their cash reserves
to do so, as they no longer have
the luxury of a 10-day clearance
period.
Bahamian wholesalers and
retailers will also have to adjust

their computer systems and
software to account for the new
tariff rates.
One retailer told Tribune
Business that had "spent thou-
sands of dollars and countless
man hours developing an in-
house brokerage system", only
to now have to rewrite and
rework its software due to the
tariff reforms.
Until this was done, extra
man hours would be required
to manually input data into the
system.

Legal Notice
NOTICE

JOPERT LTD.
In Voluntary Liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section
138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act,
2000, JOPERT LTD. is in dissolution as of June 26,
2008.

Notice is hereby given that the Twenty-eigth (28th) An-
nual General Meeting of THE PUBLIC WORKERS'
CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION LIMITED will
be held at The British Colonial Hilton Hotel, West Bay
Street, on Friday, July 4, 2008 commencing at 6:30 p.m.
for the following purposes:

* To receive the report of The Board of Directors.
* To receive the Audited Accounts for 2007
* To elect members of The Board of Directors, and
Supervisory Committee
* To discuss and approve the budget for 2009.

All eligible members wishing to run for a position on the
Board of Directors or Supervisory Commitee are asked to
submit their names to any of the Credit Union's Offices
in Nassau or Freeport, no later than Friday, June 27, 2008
by 4:00 p.m.

"The art and entertainment communities
in The Bahamas are thriving. Every
Wednesday, I enjoy reading about my
colleagues' contributions to the world of
culture in "The Arts" section oftThe
Tribune. The Tribune is my newspaper."

NOTICE OF RESULT OF CONTESTED ELECTION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION
North Abaco Constituency Polling Division 2
Crown Haven, Fox Town and Mount Hope
In the Little Abaco Town Area
Of the North Abaco District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above-mentioned election which
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
mentioned District/Town Area.

North Andros Constituency Polling Division 9
North Mastic Point
In the Mastic Point Town Area
Of the North Andros District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
mentioned Town Area.

Candidate's Other Names Occupation
surname in full and address

ROLLE Javon Navardo Ground Supporter, Mastic Point

ROMER Anthony Ruebean Businessman, Mastic Point

STORR James A. Truck Driver, Mastic Point
... ..... R .............. ..a.. A... ........... . . . ... . ..................
AND NOTICE is hereby given that the numbers of the votes cast for the several candidates in
the said election were as foliows:-

North Andros Constituency Polling Division 4
Nicholl's Town and the part of San Andros east of Queen's Highway
In the Nicholl's Town, Town Area
Of the North Andros District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
wts contested. the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
incuntioned To.wn Area.

N() I 1.'l is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
was countcsted, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
imen tioned 1 own Aiea.

SEYMOUR Valderine Secretary, New Bight
.......................................... ........................................
AND NOTICE is hereby given that the numbers of the votes cast for the several candidates in
the said election were as follows:-

Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador Constituency Polling Division 8
McQueen's and Devil's Point
In the Bight Town Area
Of the Cat Island District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election whicl
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/Jfr;thsebov
mentioned Town Area. .....

Candidate's Other Names Occupation
surname in full and address

GILBERT Nathaniel Fishing Guide, Devil's Point t

AND NOTICE is hereby given that the numbers of the votes cast for the several candidates in
the said election were as follows:-

North Eleuthera Constituency Polling Division 12
The Gregory Town, Town Area
In the Central Eleuthera District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
mentioned Town Area t.

AND NOTICE is hereby given that the numbers of the votes cast for the several candidates in
the said election were as follows:-

, Candidate's
surname

CARTWRIGHT
...................................

KNOWLES

KNOWLES

.TRNQUE.ST .............

Other Names
In full

Thalburgh Coolidge

Ian Vaughn

Jude Augu....stine.........

Charles Hilton

Date: 27"' June, 2008

Votes
Polled

52

126
................................
122

45
........... ........ ........ :....

Sign: Roderick Bowe
RETURNING OFFICER

NOTICE OF RESULT OF CONTESTED ELECTION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION

Long Island and Ragged Island Constituency Polling Division 3
Cartwrights, Mckenzie, Mangrove Bush, Petty's, Hamilton's,
Benzie Hill, Scrub Hill and Turnbull
In the South End Town Area
Of the Long Island District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
mentioned Town Area.

Candidate's
surname

CARTWRIGHT

.CA.RTW.IGHT ..

Other Names
in full

Cornelius Sean

Mathias Leonard
..............................

Occupation
and address

Fisherman, Hamilton's

Carpenter, Hamilton's
................................

AND NOTICE is hereby given that the numbers of the votes cast for the several candidates in
the said election were as follows:-

Candidate's
surname

CARTWRIGHT

CARTWRIGHT

KNOWLES.........
.. oI .w.. ... s.. . .. .. ... .. . ...

Other Names
In full

Corelius Sean

Mathias Leonard

Bertis Bernard

Date: 27"' June, 2008

Sign: Roderick Bowe
RETURNING OFFICER

Votes
Polled

77

76

36

- ,, ---- ..

Candidate's
surname

ADDERLEY
SM.......... ......
..SM. TH .......................

Candidate's
surname

ADDERLEY

BURROWS

DIXON

SMITH

SMITH

TAYLOR
...................................

L ___I___ ~_

NOTICE OF RESULT OF CONTESTED ELECTION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION

Long Island and Ragged Island Constituency Polling Division 2
Clarence Town
In the South End Town Area
Of the Long Island District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
mentioned Town Area.

THE TRIBUNE

NOTICE OF RESULT OF CONTESTED ELECTION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION

Long Island and Ragged Island Constituency Polling Division 4
The Bight to Lower Deadman's Cay
In the South End Town Area
Of the Long Island District

DECLARATION OF RESULT OF THE POLL

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
mentioned Town Area.

NOTICE is hereby given that on the taking of the Poll in the above mentioned election which
was contested, the following was/were elected as Town Committee Member/s for the above
i mentioned Town Area.' -

Candidate's Other Names Occupation
surname in full and address

BURROWS Aiden Entrepreneur, Staniel Cay

AND NOTICE is hereby given that the numbers of the votes cast for the several candidates in
the said election were as follows:-

safety precautions
How to remain safe when returning home after a hurricane

18 and 19

SUMMIT

PAGE 2F

THE TRIBUNE

THE TRIBUNENEUPAGE20

Learn your

.LJRRICANE

AN AMBULANCE and cars try to make their way through a flooded East Street, in Nassau,
Bahamas on Monday, November 5, 2001. Hurricane Michelle went on to roll towards the
Bahamas and away from Florida on the Monday, bringing heavy rain which caused flooding
in many low-lying and coastal areas of Nassau.

Tropical cyclones are named to provide ease of
communication between forecasters and the gen-
eral public regarding forecasts, watches, and
warnings. Since the storms can often last a week
or longer and that more than one can be occur-
ring in the same basin at the same time, names
can reduce the confusion about what storm is
being described. According to Dunn and Miller
(1960), the first use of a proper name for a trop-
ical cyclone was by an Australian forecaster ear-
ly in this century. He gave tropical cyclone names
"after political figures whom he disliked. By
properly naming a hurricane, the weatherman
could publicly describe a politician (who per-
haps was not too generous with weather-bureau
appropriations) as 'causing great distress' or
'wandering aimlessly about the Pacific.'"
During World War II, tropical cyclones were
informally given women's names by U.S. Army
Air Corp and Navy meteorologists (after their
girlfriends or wives) who were monitoring and
forecasting tropical cyclones over the Pacific.
From 1950 to 1952, tropical cyclones of the
North Atlantic Ocean were identified by the
phonetic alphabet (Able-Baker-Charlie-etc.),
but in 1953 the U.S. Weather Bureau switched to
women's names. In 1979, the WMO and the U.S.
National Weather Service (NWS) switched to a
list of names that also included men's names.
What is the origin of the name hurricane?

"Hurricane" is derived from 'Hurican', the.
Carib god of evil.

Should I tape my windows
when a hurricane threatens?

No, it is a waste of effort, time, and tape. It
offers little strength to the glass and NO protec-
tion against flying debris. After the storm pass-
es y6u will spend many a hot summer afternoon
trying to scrape the old, baked-on tape off your
windows (assuming they weren't shattered).
Once a Hurricane Warning has been issued you
would be better off spending your time putting
up shutters over doors and windows.

Some of the most active and
quietest years for tropical cyclones
in the Atlantic basin

Category Number of storms
Tropical storms/
hurricanes 19*(1995) 4 (1983)
Hurricanes 12(1969) 2(1982)
Major Hurricanes 7 (1950) 0 (many)
As a footnote, there were 21 tropical storms
and hurricanes in 1933.
Why do tropical cyclones occur
primarily in the summer and autumn?

The primary time of year for getting tropical
cyclones is during the summer and autumn: July-
October for the Northern Hemisphere and
December-March for the Southern Hemisphere
(though there are differences from basin to
basin). The peak in summer/autumn is due to

having all of the necessary ingredients become
most favorable during this time of year: warm
ocean waters (at least 260C or 80F), a tropical
atmosphere that can quite easily kick off con-
vection (i.e. thunderstorms), low vertical shear in
the troposphere, and a substantial amount of
large-scale spin available (either through the
monsoon trough or easterly waves).
Are we getting stronger and more frequent
hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical
cyclones in the last several years?

Globally, no. However, for the Atlantic basin
we have seen an increase in the number of strong
hurricanes since 1995. We had 33 hurricanes in
the four years of 1995 to 1999 (accurate records
for. the Atlantic are thought to begin around
1944). The extreme impacts from Hurricanes
Marilyn (1995), Opal (1995), Fran (1996),
enroprs (1998) and Mitrh (199OR in thp TTnitpd

cyclone as estimated by monetary amount has
been Hurricane Andrew (1992) as it struck the
Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana, USA: US $26.5
billion. However, if one normalises hurricane
damage by inflation, wealth changes and coastal
county population increases, then the worst is no
longer Hurricane Andrew, but is instead the
1926 Great Miami Hurricane. If this storm hit in
the mid-1990s, it is estimated that it would cause
over $70 billion in South Florida and then an
additional $10 billion in the Florida panhandle
and Alabama (Pielke and Landsea 1998).

Why do tropical cyclones' winds rotate
counter-clockwise in the Northern
Hemisphere and clockwise in t
he Southern Hemisphere?

States and throughout the Caribbean attest to the The reason is that the earth's rotation sets
high amount of Atlantic hurricane activity. up an apparent force (called the Coriolis force)
that pulls the winds to the right in the North-
h t l c h c ern Hemisphere (and to the left in the South-
Which tropical cyclones have caused the ern Hemisphere).
most deaths and most damage? So when a low pressure starts to form north
of the equator, the surface winds will flow
"The death toll in the infamous Bangladesh inward trying to fill in the low and will be
Cyclone of 1970 has had several estimates, some deflected to the right and a counter-clockwise
wildly speculative, but it seems certain that at
least 300,000 people died from the associated rotation will be initiated.
storm tide [surge] in the low-lying deltas." (Hol- The opposite (a deflection to the left and a
land 1993),-:.- --- ----- , ... clockwise rotation) will.occur.south of the
Thllargest damag.au'ed.b _.. n ei;al equaL
Vkht~slC~ir ~ nr~~iirr l~i i i iI''"''- Tll' nT~~T' "11 ~i- CycY u iiin lp

(,1.

CAUGHT UNPREPARED:
Men had to use a boat to
rescue citizens from their
flooded homes in the
Holmes Rodk settlement of
.Eight Mile Rock following
the passage of Hurricane
Frances in 2004.

'. 0
i-

I

THE TRIBUNE

PAGE 3F

RED CROSS TIPS -.

How to get yourself

now
> What
Hur-
K ricane
WATCH and WARNING
Mean:
WATCH: Hurricane condi-
tions are possible in the spec-
ified area of the WATCH,
usually within 36 hours.
WARNING: Hurricane
conditions are expected in the
specified area of the WARN-
ING, usually within 24 hours.
Prepare a Personal Evacu-
ation Plan:
Identify ahead of time
where you could go if you are
told to evacuate. Choose sev-
eral places a friend's home
in another location, a motel,
or a shelter. Keep handy the
telephone numbers of these
places as well as a road map of
your community. You may
need to take alternative or
unfamiliar routes if major
roads are closed or clogged.
Listen to radio or TV stations
for evacuation instructions. If
advised to evacuate, do so
immediately.
Assemble a Disaster Sup-
plies Kit Including the Fol-
lowing Items:
First aid kit and essential
medications.
Canned food and can open-
er.
At least three gallons of
water per person.
Protective clothing, rain-
wear, and bedding or sleep-
ing bags.
Battery-powered radio,

flashlight, and extra batteries.
Special items for infants,
elderly, or disabled family
members.
Written instructions on how
to turn off electricity, gas and
water if authorities advise you
to do so. (Remember, you'll
need a professional to turn
them back on.)
Prepare for High Winds:
Install hurricane shutters or
purchase pre-cut 1/2" outdoor
plywood boards for each win-
dow of your home. Install
anchors for the plywood and
pre-drill holes in the plywood
so that you can put it up
quickly.
Make trees more wind resis-
tant by removing diseased and
damaged limbs, then strategi-
cally removing branches so
that wind can blow through.
Know What to Do When a
Hurricane WATCH Is Issued:
Listen to radio or TV sta-
tions for up-to-date storm
information. Prepare to bring
inside any lawn furniture, out-
door decorations or orna-
ments, trash cans, hanging
plants, and anything else that
can be picked up by the wind.
Prepare to cover all windows
of your home. If shutters have
not been installed, use precut
plywood as described above.
Note: Tape does not prevent
windows from breaking, so
taping windows is not recom-
mended.
Fill your car's gas tank.
Rechcl-aanmiffatied home
tie-downs. Check batteries
and stock up on canned food,

ED

first aid supplies, drinking
water, and medications.
Know What to Do When a
Hurricane WARNING Is
Issued:
Listen to the advice of local
officials, and leave if they tell
you to do so. Complete
preparation activities. If you
are not advised to evacuate,
stay indoors, away from win-
dows. Be aware that the calm
"eye" is deceptive; the storm is
not over. The worst part of
the storm will happen once
the eye passes over and the
winds blow from the opposite
direction. Trees, shrubs, build-
ings, and other objects dam-
aged by the first winds can be
broken or destroyed by the
second winds.
Be alert for tornadoes. Tor-
nadoes can happen during a
hurricane and after it passes
over. Remain indoors, in the
center of your home, in a clos-
et or bathroom without win-
dows. Stay away from flood
waters. If you come upon a
flooded road, turn around and
go another way. If you are
caught on a flooded road and
waters are rising rapidly
around you, get out of the car
and climb to higher ground.
Know What to Do After a
Hurricane Is Over:
Keep listening to radio or
TV stations for instructions.
If you evacuated, return home
when officials tell you it is safe
to do so. Inspect your home
for damage. Use flashlights
in the dark; do not use can-
dles.

oa
a ,

THE BARE

GETTING READY: Exanna Dormeus,
National Youth Officer with the Bahamas
Red Cross, shows Junior Red Cross
members how to pack hurricane supplies
kits on Friday, September 24 at head-
quarters in the capital Nassau, Bahamas.
Hurricane Jeanne killed more than 1,000
people when it dumped torrential rains
on Haiti. At the time of this picture Jeanne
was expected to affect the northwestern
Bahamas within the next 24 hours. The
kits, which contain blankets, first aid box-
es, matches, flashlights, hand towels, sty-
rofoam cups and a battery-operated radio,
were to have been distributed to the 24
hurricane shelters on New Providence
island by members of the Royal Bahamas
Defence Force and Department of Social
Services. Red Cross members on other
Bahamian islands also packed kits for
their shelters.

NECESSITIES

Listen to
radio or TV
stations for
up-to-date
storm
information

,

J-

".tcurricane Katrina

started as a tropical depression just south of
Long Island in our Bahamas. Within 24 hours
it was a category 1 hurricane and within days
devastated the City of Hew Orleans. With the ,
changes in climate today, hurricanes do not
have to form off Africa, they can materialize
in our waters with little warning.

D DESPITE the
country
having sailed through
what could possible be
described as a tepid 2007 hurri-
cane season, the islands of the
Bahamas from Grand Bahama
and Abaco in the north to
Mayaguana and Inagua in the
south should brace themselves
for a possibly tumultuous 2008.
Basil Dean, senior meteorolo-
gist at the Bahamas Department
of Meteorology, said Bahamians
should anticipate an active sea-
son, with some 15 named storms
expected to develop. Out of that
15, eight are forecasted to reach
hurricane status, and four are cal-
culated to develop into major sys-
tems category three storms or
greater.
"So far this season we have
already had one named storm,"
Mr Dean said. "Tropical Storm
Arthur developed in the Pacific
and moved across the Yucatan
into the Gulf of Mexico. And with
that backdrop it's just a matter
of preparedness heading further
into the season," he added.
As with any natural occur-
rence, Mr Dean, in a previous
interview with The Tribune, said
it was difficult to pinpoint the
number of storms that are likely
to have a direct impact on the
Bahamas, however, he urged
*Bahamians to be fully prepared as
the country heads deeper into the
hurricane season.
"I hope that by now Bahami-
ans would have made repairs to
their roofs if they were having
problems with leakage we know
that tropical storms pass through
with high winds and rain fall.
Bahamians would also want to
ensure that their windows are in
good shape, that there are no bro-
ken panes, and also ensure that
you have an adequate supply of
wood to cover windows and
doors," Mr Dean said.
The meteorologist further
advised families to undergo drills
to see how long it would take to
secure their property. "This
makes life more comfortable
when you are faced withihaving
to actually execute the plan, so
you have an idea of how long it
would take to do it."
And where possible, he noted,
families should also develop an

Information ob
through May 20(
indicates that 20(
have about eight
hurricanes ...

evacuation procedure,
way the country has a
plan, so each membe
what to do in case of ar
tion. Parents, husbands a
and responsible adult
identify a shelter that a
members will go to if
the house is vulnerable
and flooding.
"The underlying wor
paredness. Don't mind
cast of 15, always be pre
that one special one," h
Asked about the
Islands, Mr Dean said th
more comfortable with t
idents since many Fami
homes were built to w
hurricane force winds.
islands are sparsely pc
which means that less li'
danger. He noted furt
persons living in the
Islands are more inclined
the hurricane warnings \
issued and to quickly pr
approaching storms.

Regional
outlook

Acknowledged by Mr Dean as
a pioneer in the science of fore-
casting hurricanes, Dr William
Gray, an American, recently pub-
lished his Extended Range Fore-
cast of Atlantic Seasonal Hurri-
cane Activity and US Landfall
Strike Probability for 2008. The
forecast noted that as of June 3,
an above-average Atlantic basin
tropical cyclone season in 2008 is
anticipated, with an above-aver-
age probability of US major hur-
ricane landfall.
"Information obtained through
May 2008 indicates that 2008 will
have about eight hurricanes, 15
named storms, 80 named storm
days, four intense hurricanes and
nine intense hurricane days.
"The probability of US major
hurricane landfall is estimated to
be about 135 per cent of the long-
period average," the report stat-
ed.
According to Mr Dean, Dr
trained Gray has included what is called
an extended range statistical fore-
08 cast procedure to his seasonal
08 will forecast formula.
His procedure takes into con-
t sideration the last 40 years of
global re-analysis data, and with
this 40-year data he looks for
years where atmospheric condi-
tions are similar to conditions
experienced during February and
the same March of 2008.
national The years where atmospheric
r knows conditions are similar to that of
Sevacua- the February and March data of
nd wives, the current year, the average of
s should tropical cyclone activity in those
ill family years are obtained and used along
they feel with analog predictors to com-
to winds pute the number of storms.
A major reason that the
d is pre- Bahamas will always be impacted
the fore- by hurricanes is because the coun-
pared for try sits to the west of the Bermu-
e said. da-Azores High, (a group of
Family islands off the West African
iat he felt coast), a large subtropical semi-
ihose res- permanent centre of high atmos-
ily Island pheric pressure which is found
withstand near the Azores in the Atlantic
Also, the Ocean. In years when the system
populated is well formed it extends west-
Ies are in ward toward Bermuda.
her that "When one takes into consid-
SFamily eration the cyclonic flow around
d to heed this high, the northward recurva-
vhen first ture is always either to the east of
epare for the Bahamas it can occur over

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the Bahamas as well as it can
occur further west of the
Bahamas when this recurvature
takes place over the Bahamas
during an approaching storm it
makes the Bahamas extremely
vulnerable for a direct hit.
"This all depends on the behtv-
iour of the Bermuda Azores
High, so in a somewhat simplistic
sense where the recurvature is at
the time determines whether or
not we are likely to be hit by a
tropical storm," Mr Dean said.

Meteorological
updates

n an effort to ensure that
weather is reported accu-
rately, Mr Dean said that the
Bahamas Meteorology Depart-
ment has, for the past year, been
in the process of installing addi-
tional automated weather stations
throughout the Family Islands
"The weather stations will
replace manned observations, and
give the basic elements we need
for the weather report rainfall
measurements, barometric pres-
sure, wind direction and speed.
This new project has increased
our network of weather stations
and there are four more in this

series to complete that batch."
Mr Dean said that once this
series is completed and the
department's new budget kicks
in, they will decide how many
more weather stations are needed
and where they should go.
According to Mr Dean, mete-
orology is an ongoing science
and the technology that drives
it is always being critiqued and
improved, and each year scien-
tists around the region continue
to work on various computer
models with a view to improving
the forecast product.
"We have come quite a long
way over the years in.terms of
technology, so much so that we
are able to detect weather sys-
tems, such as tropical cyclones,
from the time they develop to the
time they reach our forecast area.
This is done via geostationary
satellites which provides us with
round the clock surveillance.
"In addition to the geostation-
ary satellites which allow us to
detect these systems at a consid-
erable distance away, reconnais-
sance aircraft are deployed when
these systems are within flight
range. These reconnaissance mis-
sions allow us, meteorologists, to
obtain critical data throughout
the storm thus giving us a better
understanding of what is going
on within a particular storm. This
all has led to improved weather
and hurricane forecasting over

the years," he said.Another
instrument that aids in weather
forecast is the Doppler Radar sys-
tem. Assuring Bahamians that the
country's radar was up and run-
ning, he explained that the instru-
ment helps with flood forecast-
ing.
Once a weather system or a
tropical cyclone reaches within
radar range, Mr Dean said, the
modern day Doppler enables
meteorologists to estimate the
rate of rainfall and allows them to
warn of potential flooding. Addi-
tionally, he noted, the Doppler
Radar also provides meteorolo-
gists with strong indications of
where tornadic activity is likely
to occur.
Mr Dean said further that com-
puter models have certainly been
a blessing to forecasters with
regard to short, medium, and long
term forecasting. These models,
he said, which use actual atmos-
pheric data to simulate atmos-
pheric conditions, have, over the
years, improved to the point
where three day forecasts have
become the norm and seven day
forecasts and beyond, although
not as reliable, still give fairly
good indications as to what one
may expect. There are some
things that are still uncertain, Mr
Dean noted, such as how chang-
ing weather patterns will affect
hurricanes and rainfall patterns.
The global climate change sce-
narios that have been developed
suggest that with increasing glob-
al temperatures one can antici-
pate a rise in sea surface so for
every degree in temperature rise,
one can expect a foot increase in
sea level, and should this scenario
pan out it will result in the loss of
land at the coast. And it is con-
ceivable, Mr Dean pointed out,
that the Bahamas is currently
experiencing a loss of land.
Some scenarios have also
developed in regard to global
research and global warming, par-
ticularly in the tropics.
Tropical cyclones rely on warm
sea surface temperatures, and
looking at increased tempera-
tures, the threshold temperature
needed for cyclone development
would be achieved a lot quicker
and could lead to an increase in
tropical cyclone activity.
Mr Dean urged caution how-
ever, saying that tropical cyclone
development does not rely solely
on sea surface temperatures, but
rather a variety of atmospheric
and oceanic conditions.

Do you need hurricane shutters?
Is your roof leaking and in need of
repairs?

RBC Royal Bank of Canada's Royal
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I

DiNT WAI~TU TI L Ir^S TOOLTE!

PAGE 6F

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HUGE WAVES crash over the lighthouse at
the entrance to Nassau Harbour as Hurri-
cane Floyd hit Nassau, Bahamas on Tuesday
September 14, 1999.

RESIDENTS of the eastern end of the Balh;ii r' ;'!;'l of
Nassau line up in a supermarket early MoiiL:. nuii;:i
September13,1999, to buy household suppli'" i;lii.:;
of the arrival Hurricane Floyd in the Bahaii;w'I I v;,r v
dangerous Category 4 storm, packing 155 n'11h ,12.
charged towards the Bahamas on a path th 1 11 :
tend the Florida coast.

THE CARGO SHIP Anne is lodged against the beach where it ran aground on Saunders Beach in
Nassau, Bahamas on Tuesday September 14, 1999. Residents and tourists ventured into debris-
strewn streets the next day after Hurricane Floyd clobbered the Bahamas, washing ashore two
barges and flinging trees onto streets and highways.

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DESTROYED and sunken boats litter the water at East Bay Marina, Nassau, Bahamas on Tuesida, ':.-nin,, I;
14, 1999.

THE TRIBUNE

TED MCKINNEY walks to his house after abandoning his car on the road in Nassau, Bahamas, in
the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd on Tuesday, September 14, 1999. Uprooted trees and flooding
made the roads impassable by automobile.

SB- -.

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4.
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Report: Global warming may reduce hurricane threat
M By ALISON LOWE stay alive. Wind shear is a change in wind speeds been an ongoing subject of discussion in the assumption, declaring that at times only one in 10
Tribune Staff Reporter at different altitudes. Carrying out a review of world's scientific and meteorological community North Atlantic hurricanes hit the U.S. coast -
alowe@ttriblunemedia.net 150 years of US hurricane records, the scientists for some time. with many still hitting the Bahamas and other

A controversial new scientific study
has suggested that contrary to con-
ventional wisdom global warming
may in fact lead to fewer Atlantic hur-
ricanes threatening Caribbean countries and the
United States.
The study, carried out by researchers at the
SIniversitv of Miami in conjunction with the US
Federal Agency, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, links sea tempera-
ture rises associated with global warming to an
increase in a phenomena known as "wind shear"
thai makes it harder for storms to strengthen and

I **. I.JJ J. .U JI Ji

observed that warming ocean waters had coin-
cided with a diminishing number of Atlantic hur-
ricanes actually making landfall in the US.
Researchers saw a connection between this
decrease and the fact that, they claim, wind shear
increases by up to 10 miles an hour with every
degree celsius that the ocean warms.
Speaking with New Scientist magazine, study
author Chunzai Wang of the NOAA asserted
that the study's findings prove that "the attribu-
tion of the recent increase in Atlantic hurricane
activity to global warming is premature."
The precise effect of man-made global warming
on the intensity and frequency of hurricanes has

Hurricanes are known to feed on warm water,
and prior research has been taken to support the
assumption that temperature increases would
thereby lead to more common occurrence of the
strongest hurricanes those over 130 mph.
The scientists' reliance on landfall records in
this latest study has caused some contention
among interested parties.
Mr Wang and his partner in the study, the uni-
versity's Sang-Ki Lee, said that they used the
landfall records as the basis for their study
because they are "the most reliable Atlantic hur-
ricane measurement over the long term."
However, critics have called into question this

Caribbean countries and landfall records
reflect only a small percentage of storms around
the globe. At the annual meeting of the American
Meteorological Society this week in New Orleans
the findings received mixed reviews.
Richard Spinrad, NOAA's assistant adminis-
trator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research,
called the study "seminal", but Greg Holland, a
senior scientist at the US National Centre for
Atmospheric Research, said that its results "just
don't hold together."
Mr Holland added that there are other factors
involved in storm formation that outweigh wind
shear.

an inevitable
part of life
and the land-
scape in warm waters of the Bahamas
and the Caribbean, and experts antici-
pate that we will likely experience
stronger and more frequent storms as
global temperatures rise.
The landscape has changed and con-
tinues to change weather patterns. The
impact of the last ten years storms may
easily be seen on the landscape of
Bahamas. The tree line of the Bahamas
has had the most obvious damage, having
been greatly reduced by powerful storms
such as Andrew, Floyd, Michelle & Fran-
cis. Prior to these storms the tree line
was allowed to grow unchecked by main-
tenance practices or hurricanes
The aspects of hurricanes that most
adversely affect the landscape are:
High winds & tornadoes
Salt spray carried off the sea by the
winds, often miles inland
Storm surge
Flooding
Disease and pest problems as a result
of such devastating damage
Each of these issues causes different
problems to plant material and many of
the results of such damage will result in
plant decline if left unchecked.

High winds &
tornadoes
The most immediate and obvious dam-
age is from high winds and tornadoes.
These winds cause plant material con-
siderable damage and destruction. The
sheer force of the wind on large sail areas
of trees make it almost impossible for
branches not to break away or entire
trees to topple. Many plants are unable
to sustain the desiccation caused by long
periods of high wind. The wind literally
sucks all moisture from the leaves and
outer branches faster than the plant is able
to replace it, thus resulting in a collapse
of the cells and massive desiccation to
the plant.
One of the most important elements to
remember about plant material is the
correlation that can be drawn between
humans and plants.
Many of the ailments affecting plant
material may be treated in similar ways as
humans (obviously, I don't mean plants
should get bed rest and a hot toddy).
This correlationis particularly applicable
and clear in discussing the types of dam-

age caused to plants after a hurricane.
A hurricane is to plants what a major
accident is to humans. The tremendous
physical damage must be dealt with as
quickly as possible. Damaged tree limbs
require immediate attention and must
be bolted back or cut cleanly away and
treated with required fungicides to pre-
vent disease causing further damage to
the tree. Broken limbs left unattended
will result in disease no less damaging
to plants in the long term than gangrene
is to humans. This work is often com-
pleted by use of aerial platforms that can
reach high into and over the trees without
causing further harm are often required.
Axes and cutlass knives are NOT tools to
be used for pruning works!

Salt spray
Salt water is whipped up off the ocean
by the winds and blown inland for many
miles. This salt is then plastered all over
the plants causing additional burn due
to a process called osmosis. The salt
deposit left on the leaves and branches
draws water out of the cells, causing cell
collapse and death. The severity of salt
spray and salt tolerances of various plants
determines whether plants survive this

onslaught. Some may remember beau-
tiful days on the beach,ended by the boat
-ride home covered in a full day of salt.
There is nothing better than taking a
shower and washing off the salt and
putting on fresh clothes. Plants feel the
same needs and would tell you this if
they could. As soon as possible, irriga-
tion systems should be turned on and
foliage washed off. Further manual rins-
ing by-hose is often required. Trees
should be sprayed down even if it rains as
the undersides of the leaves require the
same rinsing and rain will not do this.
This treatment will minimize damage.

Storm surge
This problem only exists for those in
low lying costal or canal areas and is
exceptionally destructive to massive areas
of the coastal regions. The relentless
pounding of waves and high storm tides
erodes many yards of dune, destroys sea
walls, crashes over and floods low lying
areas with thousands of gallons of sea
water and buries areas in sand, rock and
debris.
This form of hurricane destruction is
undoubtedly the most devastating. The
low lying areas are flooded with sea water

of

fe

drowning plants. Even if the areas dry
out the salt content of the soils is so high
that it kills almost all plants. Sand, rock
and debris may pile up in areas as high as
ten feet creating a big mess.
Little can be done about this onslaught
of destruction. The best defense for wave
action and storm surge are expensive and
often cost prohibitive. However, knowl-
edge and understanding of the possibili-
ty of such destruction in the design of
properties in these costal areas is para-
mount to reducing damage.
Understand that you will not beat back
the tides and destructive forces of nature.
Do not build on:
Low lying costal areas (below 10'
above mean sea level)
Primary or secondary dunes or unsta-
ble costal land
Low lying wetland areas connected to
the sea, even when well inland
Heavily exposed rocky shorelines
where deep ocean waters are close to
the land.
When developing coastal properties it
is critical to understand that both the
structures and the landscape must be
designed to reduce the effects of hurri-
cane forces.
A few example of good landscape
planning would be:
The primary dune or coastal line
should be designed to absorb energy and
not to deflect it
Protect the dune and do not build on it
or cut into it in any way, plantings should
be diverse and thick
The coastal side of the property should
be graded in a manner that will permit
the ocean to flood in and then drain out
as quickly as possible
Use salt and wind tolerant plant mate-
rials

Flooding
Hurricanes have the potential to drop
incredible amounts of rain through the
duration of the storm. The massive
amount of rain quickly causes total
ground saturation and then leads to
flooding and water run off.
Total saturation means that the ground
is unable to absorb any more water thus
the water coming down exceeds the
amount being absorbed.
Flooding for any period of time longer
than 24 to 36 hours will cause plants to
die due to a lack of oxygen being avail-
able to the root system, in human terms
they drown. Flooding also significantly
loosens up the soil and can cause trees
and palms to become unstable.
Water run off or erosion is not as big a
problem in the Bahamas as it would beia-

more mountainous areas such as Cuba or
Jamaica. It does however create prob-
lems in the more hilly areas as soils are
washed away and plantings destabilized
by the excessive amounts of water.
These problems again are difficult and
costly to deal with and are best addressed
in the planning stages of development.
Flooding may be reduced by the use of
drainage pipes connected to deep wells
along with grading works designed to
direct water to certain waste areas, catch-
ment areas or deep wells. These systems
are more passive as the main criteria is to
get water to drain away within a reason-
able period of time.
Water run off problems are reduced by
diverting and controlling the volumes of
water being shed. This is done by the use
of elaborate drainage systems that funnel
the water to catchment areas, canals or to
the sea. These systems are far more crit-
ical as errors in calculating the amount of
water being handled by the system will
lead to serious erosion problems. Central
America was whiteness to this in 1998
when thousands lost their homes and
many lost their lives.

Disease and
pest problems
Any time humans are traumatized by a
major accident or ailment we have the
potential of contracting more serious
problems due to a follow on of problems
or the immune system becoming weak-
ened and or overloaded. Our systems
like plants are designed to deal with the
normal day to day issues of life and not
major trauma.
Hurricanes are a major trauma for the
landscape and the pest and disease prob-
lems that will or may occur after such
incident are varied and extensive.
In short:
Replant toppled trees and plants
Prune away damage
Remove debris from plant materials
Flush soils of salt
Drain off excess water
Watch for fungus and disease and
spray as required
Watch and spray for pests on new
growth
Preventative maintenance is impor-
tant on trees and palms
Keep trees and palms pruned regular-
ly to reduce the wind load and allow air
to pass through the trees.
This is also beneficial to lower planti-
ngs as they will get more sunlight.
As with most things in life, good main-
tenance and health practices will pay off
in the long run.

Aluminum rolling shutters are custom-fitted
and available in a choice of colours. They
provide security and hurricane protection.
Easily operated by hand crank or electric
motor, Roll shutters add beauty, security and
convenience to any home.
* We guarantee motors for 5 years, material
and labour for two years and respond to
service calls within 48 hours, usually on the
same day.

Economical and convenient, these easy-to-use
awnings are permanently installed and close
quickly for storm protection. They give everyday
protection from heat and rain, and help prevent
fading of carpets and drapes.

The most cost-effective protection available.
Lightweight, easy to store and to use. We give you
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headers to prevent the panels "creeping".

S Hurricanes are a major trauma for
the landscape and the pest and dis-
ease problems that will or may occur
after such incident are varied and
extensive

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PAGE 9F

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THE TRIBUNE

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PAGERICANETHEITRIBUNE

Remembering

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PALM TREES sway heavily and debris flies across a flooded street as Hurricane Michelle hit the island of New Providence in the Bahamas on Mon-
day, November 5, 2001.

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A STOP SIGN bends over in heavy winds as Hurricane
Michelle passes over the island of New Providence in the
Bahamas on Monday, November 5, 2001. Widespread
flooding and wind gusts of up to 100 mph were report-
ed after Michelle passed over the island.

A CAR makes its way
along West Bay Street
in torrential rain and
high winds produced
by oncoming Hurricane
Michelle in Nassau,
Bahamas on Monday,
November 5, 2001.

A CAR manoeuvres around fallen tree branches on Skyline Drive in Nas-
sau, Bahamas on Monday morning, November 5, 2001. Heavy rain
caused flooding in many low-lying and coastal areas of New Providence
Island. Hurricane Michelle rolled towards the Bahamas and away
from Florida after roaring across Cuba.

VEHICLES make
their way through
a road flooded by
oncoming Hurri-
cane Michelle in
Nassau, Bahamas
on Monday,
November 5,
2001.

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THE TRIBUNE PAGE liE

HURRIANEGIDE008

p 1

" STRAW VENDOR
Doreen Ferguson
pacls away clothes
from her stall at the
Straw Market in
downtown Nassau,
Bahamas on Sun-
day, November 4,
2001. A few last
minute shops along
Bay Street were
boarded up as
Bahamians seemed
to heed the warnings
posted that Hurri-
cane Michelle was
on a direct path to
hinl them on the
Monday afternoon.

Looking for

Integrity?

You'll Find It

At

HURRICANE MICHELLE washed this vessel almost on to
the sidewalk at Long Wharf.

TREES were uprooted and roofs damaged in Andros
by Michelle's 100mph winds.

cc

AN OLD wooden house is shown destroyed after Hurriccane Michelle swept through Nassau, Bahamas, on Novem-
ber 5, 2001 where heavy rain and winds from Michelle caused widespread flooding and damage.

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Fax: 242.356.4946
Cell: 242.359.2840

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THE TRIBUNE

PAGE 14F

Taking a look at

CA TA4 rPHE

he Caribbean region -
from the islands of the
Bahamas, South Florida,
the islands of the
Caribbean, and the countries sur-
rounding the Caribbean Basin are
exposed annually to the ravages of hur-
ricanes, floods, and storm surges. As
such events can both'destroy or exten-
sively damage property and kill or .
injure the inhabitants, it is important
that the public know and be concerned
about the different mechanisms that
exist to minimize the impact of such
natural disasters.
Catastrophe insurance is one indis-
pensable mechanism for mitigating the
impact of disasters, both natural and
otherwise, and is both a necessity and
an important part of owning property
and/or a business.
In any discussion of the role, value, . ..
and cost of catastrophe insurance in '
the Bahamas, it must be understood B IH '''.y,.
that while the Bahamas may not have
been affected by any storms last year, t ~.."
over the past decade the region has
experienced a dramatic upsurge in the -
level of physical destruction and eco- .
nomic loss caused by hurricanes. Aa
Each year these natural disasters '
take a huge toll in deaths and injuries,
property damage, and economic loss,
however, an even greater tragedy is
the fact that much of the physical, emo-
tional, and financial impact of this dev-
astation and loss can be reduced
through preparedness, including ade- S I S : as
quate insurance cover, existing miti-
gation techniques, and greater public inevitability of further hurricanes,
awareness of them. regional insurance companies must
It must also be understood that purchase essential catastrophe protec-
because of its small population the vol- tion from other international "rein-
ume of insured risks in the region is surance" companies.
small and the overall premium base is Such reinsurers do business on a
minuscule in relation to the world worldwide basis and view this region,
insurance markets. including Central America, Florida and
Insurance premium income for the the Gulf Coast of the US, as a very
whole of the Bahamas, the Caribbean high-risk area.
and Central America, has been report- It can also be argued that the past
ed as being only one tenth of one per decade was the worst ever for the
cent of premiums payable worldwide, region, in terms of property damage
However, the cost of claims for the and economic loss resulting from hur-
region is about three per cent of world- ricanes. Losses have been enormous
:ide losses w p,, fr qai ul a viln
And because-th& region- wiea te Rilfoa ttii tsl.i6 and
produces only a small amount of pre- Floyd.
mium income in ration tfthe large ' ." '.. :
loss potential, and because of the In 1999, Floyd caused some $6 bil-

lion in damage in the region, $175 mil-
lion of that being insured losses in the
Bahamas.
In 2004, Frances and Jeanne
caused estimated total losses of $16
billion, with $348 million of insured
losses in the Bahamas.
2005 proved very active with some
26 named storms, the last occurring in
January 2006. Dennis, Katrina, Rita
and Wilma racked up estimated total
losses of $159 billion, $125 billion of
this caused by Katrina alone.
Katrina was the largest disaster to
hit the region and the effects of this
%,stprm,yre stillbeingfglt by the insur-
Ltance blalustry.as.mne. rltis law suits
were filed in the United States. Rita
missed us, but Wilma caused $47 mil-
lion of insured losses in the Bahamas.

It is important to note that the fig-
ures given for the Bahamas are for
insured losses only, they do not include
uninsured losses, which were proba-
bly higher than the losses covered by
insurance.
As a result of the tremendous losses
in 2005, a number of insurance com-
panies withdrew from providing cata-
strophe perils cover completely, while
others decided to reduce their risks.
Reinsurers were no longer prepared
to grant reinsurance cover to insurers
in the region without increasing their
rates, and without putting strict limits
on the scope of cover available, either
geographically or in terms of what to-
cover. This lack of capacity and
increased costs for reinsurance led to a-"
hardening of the market generally, and

Catastrophe insurance is
one indispensable mechanism
for mitigating the impace of
disasters, both natural and
otherwise, and is both a neces-
sity and an important part of
owning property and/or a
business

this in turn led to increases in rates for
the average policyholder.
What can be expected to happen
with insurance rates in the foreseeable
future? While the large losses in 2004
and 2005 did cause an increase in rates
in the Bahamas for 2006, prices in 2007
remained generally steady. For 2007
experts forecasted above average hur-
ricane activity.
Such forecasts, combined with the
ever growing reports on global warm-
ing, and the effects on low lying coun-
tries such as the Bahamas, make it very
difficult to predict what the future
might hold for this region.
The region's potential for destruc-
tion from hurricanes and other natural
hazards will remain.
The Bahamas and Caribbean's insur-
ance market will remain small with
tremendous catastrophe exposure, thus
causing continued dependence on out-
side reinsurers.
To avoid a continuing rise and fall of
insurance rates, and stabilize the mar-
ket, property owners and insurance
companies will have to focus their
attention more on alternative
approaches to their risk management.
Along with government and other
community partners, they will have to
develop cost-effective mechanisms to
reduce the vulnerability of their prop-
erties to damage caused by'such nat-
ural hazards as hurricanes.

A PALM TREE is seen knocked
down in front of the terminal of
the Grand Bahama International
Airport during the passing of the
eye of Hurricane Frances through
Freeport, Bahamas, Saturday, on
September 4, 2004. Frances'
strong winds snapped trees, tore
up roofs and flooded parts of
Grand Bahama island.

THE PARKING lot of the Grand Bahama International Airport is shown flooded during the passing of the eye of
Hurricane Frances through Freeport, Bahamas, on Saturday, September 4, 2004.

PEDESTRIANS
and vehicles
manoeuvre around
a yacht resting on
the road across
from the marina
where it was orig-
inally moored on
Sunday, Septem-
ber 26, 2004 in
downtown Marsh
Harbour, Abaco in
the Northern
Bahamas. Flood-
waters from Hur-
ricane Jeanne sub-
sided leaving
many boats as far
inland as half a
mile.

THE WELCOMING STREET sign of the Grand Bahama International Airport is shown
underwater during the passing of the eye of Hurricane Frances through Freeport,
Bahamas, on Saturday, September 4, 2004. Frances' strong winds snapped trees, tore
up roofs and flooded parts of Grand Bahama island.

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THE TRIBUNE

PAGE 17F

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MINISTRY OF HEALTH W7 -. --

wh

en returning home

SAFETY

H UURRI-
CANES are
powerful
storms
formed at sea and consist of strong wind
and rain. Because modern technology
allows us to track a hurricane's progress,
communities in the hurricane's path will
usually be warned of the storm's strength.
Evacuating the area may be necessary
because of the strength of a particular
storm. By taking some basic precautions,
you will be prepared and able to help
prevent many injuries, as well as the pos-
sibility of some diseases. This article
addresses structural safety concerns that
can adversely affect individual, family
and population health. The tips included
can help to minimise injuries associated
with post hurricane conditions.
When weather conditions improve the
local authority (Emergency Management
Team) will inform you of when it is safe
to travel outside your home. If you had to
evacuate your home and must travel
from a shelter back to your home, be
sure that the relevant authority has given
clearance for you to do so. Allow suffi-
cient time for you to travel to and from
your home, especially if the electrical
power is still down. This will enhance
your safety.
Although unusual following a hurri-
cane, crime can also increase. Obey all
orders by the authorities, as this will
enhance your safety.
During a hurricane and in the cleanup,
injuries occur.
TO AVOID INJURY, use common
sense and wear proper clothing, including
clothes with long sleeves and long pants,
and safety shoes or boots.
When returning to your home after a
hurricane:
. Find out if the authorities have
declared the area safe;
Watch for debris on the road while
driving;
Make sure all family members have
been accounted for and let others know
of your status;
Make sure the main electrical switch
to your home is off before entering the
structure;
Be careful when entering a structure
that has been damaged;
If you suspect a gas leak, leave imme-
diately and notify the gas company;
If possible, listen to the radio or con-
tact authorities to find out if sewage lines
are intact before turning on the water or
using the toilet;
Report utility damage to the proper

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authorities; DO NOT RETURN TO THE
Continue to monitor your radio or HOUSE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD IT
television for up-to-date emergency infor- IS SAFE TO DO SO.
nation.

INSPECTING THE DAMAGE
Upon returning to dwellings evacuated
before the hurricane's arrival, be aware of
possible structural, electrical, or gas-leak
hazards. Electrical power and natural gas
or propane tanks should be shut off to
avoid fire, electrocution, or explosions.
Try to return to your home during the
daytime so that you do not have to use
any lights. Use battery-powered flash-
lights and lanterns, rather than candles,
gas lanterns, or torches.
GAS LEAKS
If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn
off the main gas valve, open all windows,
and leave the house immediately. Notify
the gas company, the police, or fire
departments, and do not turn on the
lights, light matches, smoke, or do any-
thing that could cause a spark.

ELECTRICAL DAMAGE
Your electrical system may have been
damaged. If you see frayed wiring or
sparks when you restore power, or if
there is an odour of something burning
but no visible fire, you should immedi-
ately shut off the electrical system at the
main circuit breaker.
You should consult Bahamas Elec-
tricity Company (BEC) about using elec-
trical equipment, including power gen-
erators. Be aware that it is against the
law and a violation of electrical codes to
connect generators to your home's elec-
trical circuits without the approved, auto-
matic-interrupt devices. If a generator is
on line when electrical service is restored,
it can become a major fire hazard. In
addition, the improper connection .f a.
generator to your home's electrical cir-
cuits may endanger line workers help-
ing to restore power in your area.

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All electrical equipment ai
ances must be completely dr
returning them to service. It is
tn have a certified plectrician ch

items if there is any question.
PLEASE NOTE: Several deaths fol-
lowing past hurricanes have occurred
due to fires. In many cases, fires were
caused by the careless use of candles to
light homes without electrical power. Use
battery-powered lanterns, if possible,
rather than candles. If you use candles,
make sure they are in safe holders away
from curtains, paper, wood, or other
flammable items. Never leave a candle
burning when you are out of the room.
OTHER INJURY-PREVENTION
MEASURES
To avoid other hurricane-related
injuries, you should:
Learn proper safety procedures and
operating instructions before operating
any gas-powered or electric chain saw;
With an electric chain saw, use

extreme caution to avoid electrical shock;
When using any power equipment,
always wear a safety face shield or eye-
glasses, and gloves;
AVOID ALL POWER LINES, par-
ticularly those in water;
AVOID WADING IN WATER.
Broken glass, metal fragments, and oth-
er debris may be present in the water;
and
Be careful of nails and broken glass
when removing boards covering the win-
dows.
S CLEANUP
Once you have established that no
structural, electrical, or gas-related haz-
ards exist in your home, dry and disinfect
all materials inside the house to prevent
the growth of mould and mildew.
Walls, hard-surfaced floors, and many
other household surfaces should be
cleaned with soap and water and disin-
fected with a solution of one cup of
bleach to five gallons of water. Be par-
ticularly careful to thoroughly disinfect
surfaces that may come in contact with
S food, such as counter tops, shelves, refrig-
erators, etc. All surfaces where small chil-
dren play should also be carefully
cleaned. Wash all linen and clothing in
hot water, or dry-clean them. For items
that cannot be washed or dry-cleaned,
such as mattresses and upholstered fur-
niture, air dry them in the sun and then
spray them thoroughly with a disinfec-
tant. Steam clean all carpeting. If there
has been a backflow of sewage into the
house, wear rubber boots and waterproof
nd appli- gloves during cleanup. Remove and dis-
y before card contaminated household materials
advisable that cannot be disinfected such as wall
p- thpes coverings, cloth, rugs, and drywall.

OTHER HAZARDS
Downed Power lines
If power lines are lying on the ground
or dangling near the ground, do not touch
the lines. Notify your local BEC office as
soon as possible that the lines have been
damaged, or that the power lines are
down.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE
OR REPAIR THE POWER LINES.
Do not drive through standing water if
downed power lines are in the water. If a
power line falls across your car while you
are driving, continue to drive away from
the line. If the engine stalls, do not turn
off the ignition. Stay in your car and wait
for emergency personnel. Do not allow

SEE page 19F

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PAGE 18F

THE TRIBUNE

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FROM page 18F

anyone other than emergency personnel to approach your vehicle.
ANIMALS
Wild or stray domestic animals can pose a danger during or after the
passage of a hurricane. Remember, most animals are disoriented and
displaced, too. Do not corner an animal. If an animal must be removed,
contact your local animal control authorities.
If any animal bites you, seek immediate medical attention. If a
snake bites you, first try to accurately identify the type of snake so that,
if poisonous, the correct anti-venom can be administered. Do not cut
the wound or attempt to suck the venom out.
Certain animals may carry rabies. Although the virus is rare, care
should be taken to avoid contact with stray animals and rodents. The
Public Health Department can provide information on the types of ani-
mals that carry rabies in your area.
Rats may also be a problem during and after a hurricane. Take
care to secure all food supplies, and remove any animal carcasses in the
vicinity by contacting The Department of Environmental Health, or
local Health Inspector.
DROWNING
Although hurricane winds can cause an enormous amount of dam-
age, wind is not the biggest killer in such a storm. Nine of every ten hur-
ricane fatalities are drowning associated with swiftly moving waters.
People who enter moving water with their cars, or who get on boats on
lakes or bays when a hurricane strikes the area are at grave risk of
drowning, regardless of their ability to swim. Even very shallow water
that is moving swiftly can be deadly. Cars or other vehicles do not pro-
vide adequate protection. Cars can be swept away or may break down
in moving water. Be alert and follow hazard warnings on roadways or
those broadcast by the media. Police and public works departments
should be contacted for up-to-date information regarding safe road-
ways.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Be aware of potential chemical hazards you may encounter when
returning to your home, especially if the hurricane is accompanied by
flooding. Floodwaters and high winds may have moved or buried haz-
ardous chemical containers of solvents or other industrial chemicals.
Contact your local fire department about inspecting and removing
hazardous chemical containers. Avoid inhaling chemical fumes.
If any propane tanks (whether 20-lb. tanks from a gas grill or house-
hold propane tanks) are discovered, do not attempt to move them your-
self. These represent a very real danger of fire or explosion, and if any
are found, the fire department, or police, should be contacted imme-
diately.
Car batteries, while flooded, may still contain an electrical charge and
should be removed with extreme caution by using insulated gloves.
Avoid coming in contact with any acid that may have spilled from a
damaged car battery.
Before the hurricane, learn about the emergency procedures estab-
lished by your community, and prepare a personal family action plan.
Keep emergency supplies on hand such as extra food, water, and bat-
tery-operated radios and flashlights. If authorities issue an evacuation
order, follow the route they suggest.
After the storm, listen for public announcements regarding the
safety of your neighbourhood and return only when the area is con-
sidered safe. Avoid downed power lines and report any problems
with your utilities to the appropriate companies. Be aware of possible
structural, electrical, or gas-leak hazards.
If drinking water has been contaminated, treat the water before
use. Discard any food that has come into contact with contaminated
water. Remember the rule of thumb for food "when in doubt, throw it
out."
Remember, the weeks after a hurricane will be physically and emo-
tionally draining. To help manage stress, take frequent breaks during
the cleanup, and get as much rest as possible. While some sleeplessness,
anxiety, anger, hyperactivity, mild depression, or lethargy are nor-
mal, extreme or prolonged symptoms should be evaluated by a men-
tal health professional. -

Flashback:

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* TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION:
Pictured above and to the left
is a view of West Bay Street
after the 1929 hurricane dev-
astated New Providence for
three days and three nighs.
Many homes were wrecked
and hundreds of people left
homeless.

Items for your home

you can count on us

Hurricane Preparedness
Grocery List

FOOD SUPPLIES
Get enough nonperishable foods now for two weeks.
Then set aside. Avoid foods that are salty or dry or
high in fat or protein; they'll make you thirsty. You'll
have to purchase last minute items thatcannot be
stored.

Hurricane Charley was the third named storm, the second
hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic
hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and
at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph (240 km/h) winds, mak-
ing it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hur-
ricane Scale. The storm made landfall in southwestern Florida at
maximum strength, thus making it the strongest hurricane to hit
the United States since Hurricane Andrew struck Florida twelve
years before, in 1992.

K7~r~~rN

By JOHN LANTIGUA
PORT CHARLOTTE,
FLORIDA
Cox News Service

F father
John
Ludden,
of St.
Charles Catholic Church, first
saw the phenomenon several
weeks after Hurricane Charley
churned through this city in
mid-August.
"I go up to people after Mass
and ask how they are," says
Ludden, whose rectory sits
directly across the street from a
devastated trailer park. "They
smile and say they are fine -
then, suddenly, they break out
crying."
About 150 miles away, at the
FEMA disaster relief center in
Jupiter, crisis counselor Judi
Stifel listens to residents who
continue to wander in months
after the storms.
"We get people who have
never had to ask for help
before," she says. "Some are
elderly, World War II veterans
included, and some are upper
middle class people. There is a
pride issue, a failure issue. They
want you to know they aren't
weak, but when they start to
talk, some of them just break
down."
Or as Pastor John Glenn of
Alpha Ministries in Okee-
chobee puts it: "There is a
storm after the storm."
Among those weathering the
lingering fears and frustrations
are retired postal worker Carl
Fryklind, 76,and his wife Johan-
na, 74 of Arcadia, who are
receiving church-sponsored
f counseling.
Their property was ransacked
by Charley, their 1,100-square-
foot expanded mobile home
was destroyed and they have
lived the past three months in a
travel trailer less than 200 feet
square. They have gradually
cleared the surrounding rubble,
although they repeatedly had
to flee the subsequent storms.
"We had to evacuate for
Jeanne, and I thought Ivan was
gonna catch up with us when
we were driving to the Caroli-
nas to stay with family," says
Carl. "We're still dealing with
the mess here. It seems like it
doesn't end."
The rains and winds of the
four hurricanes that struck

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Florida this year have subsided.
But in some cases, particularly
among the elderly and the
infirm, personal storms are still
swirling.
The emotions have evolved
out of the frightful impact of
the hurricanes themselves,
which pulverized homes and
businesses. But they are also
the product of the often slow,
frustrating process of recovery.
Residents express thanks for
the help they have received
from FEMA and other organi-
zations, but for many, life is still
bleak.
Some live in damaged, mold-
ridden homes waiting for insur-
ance payments or for adjusters
who have never arrived.
Others are squeezed into tiny
FEMA trailers or into the over-
crowded houses of relatives or
friends, circumstances teeming
with tension.
And there are still people liv-
ing in their cars, who suffered
from the August heat and now
need to wrap themselves in
blankets as the nights turn cool.
Those lucky enough to be in
their .homes sometimes strug-
gle to pay the rent because they
are unemployed. Many receive
enormous utility bills because
they have leaks in pipes, which
landlords are slow to fix.
Especially in Southwest Flori-
da, rubble remains everywhere,
gardens are gone and the gov-
ernment is cutting down seem-
ingly healthy trees due to
canker spread by hurricane
winds, adding to the blight.
Not only are religious lead-
ers and mental health profes-
sionals seeing a rise in consul-
tations connected to the hurri-
canes depression, marital
tensions, substance abuse but
some legal authorities report a
rise in other worrisomtn indexes
that may be related to the
storms.
The Palm Beach County
Medical Examiner's Office said
suicides in the county totaled
eight in September and Octo-
ber 2003 but rose to 25 this year.
The Martin County Sheriff's
Office reported a rise in suicides
and suspected suicide attempts
from 24 in September 2003 to
36 in September this year; 23 in
October 2003 to 31 in October
this year.
For the same time periods,
domestic abuse complaints in
Martin County increased from
281 to 413 and from 295 to 358.

We're seeing sleeping and eating disorders
and sexual malfunctions. People are experi-
encing flashbacks in the middle of the night if
they hear the wind coming. Some of these folks
really went through frightening experiences.

99

C. 2 .

Palm Beach County authori-
ties have compiled no statistics,
but State's Attorney Barry
Krischer said he has observed a
marked increase in domestic
strife. Father Luis Pacheco of
St. Paul's Catholic Church in
Arcadia said the procession of
distraught and troubled indi-
viduals who spoke to him across
his desk finally led him to a
decision.
"I went out and hired a psy-
chologist and began weekly
counseling sessions in the
church," he says.
'The person he hired was
Hugo Santiago, a licensed men-
tal health counselor, who also
works for DeSoto County pris-
ons.
"There is still a lot of anxi-
ety, depression, but also frus-
tration, anger and rage among
people who got caught in these
storms," Santiago says. "These
are the signs and symptoms of
post traumatic stress syndrome

Hugo
, M .

Santiago
r'' \ . .

- PTSD.
"We're seeing sleeping and
eating disorders and sexual mal-
functions," he continues. "Peo-
ple are experiencing flashbacks
in the middle of the night if they
hear the wind coming. Some of
these folks reallywent through
frightening experiences:"
Two people who sought San-
tiago's help at the church are
the Fryklinds, who had the roof
of their mobile home partly
pried off by Charley, like a can
of tuna fish being opened.
"After the storm passed, it
rained every afternoon, water
came in, we had mold growing
three and four feet down the
wall and couldn't stop it," says
Johanna Fryklind, who is dis-
abled and walks with a cane.
They then moved into the
cramped travel trailer.
"We're living on top of each
other, and we've also had to
save our belongings and clean
the land because it was covered

with trees and other stuff," says
Carl. "We had to deal with the
insurance and buy a new home.
It's been one thing after anoth-
er."
Fryklind says the group coun-
Sseling at the church has helped.
"It teaches you that you aren't
the only fish in the sea. Lots of
other people are as bad off as
you are, and some are even
worse."
He mentions a group mem-
ber, an elderly man who could-
n't sleep and was losing weight
every week.
"Then he just stopped com-
ing, and we aren't sure what
happened to him," Fryklind
says.
Another group Santiago runs
at the church is for children,
who have encountered their
own challenges.
"What do you say to a little
boy who lost both his dogs in
the hurricane, and 10 weeks lat-
er, his cat dies;" says Cindi
: Smith, '47, of Project Hope, a
group of crisis counselors who
work with FEMA in more than
40 relief centers around the
state.
Some families have been left
homeless and are now separat-
ed due to the housing crunch.
"We have some families with
parents in one county and chil-
dren in another," says Donna
James, a Project Hope coun-
selor in Port St. Lucie. "That
can cause anxiety in those chil-
dren."
Public schools in Charlotte
County have reported that 1,100
of the 18,600 students expect-
ed to attend this fall have not
shown up, and presumably their
families have been displaced
from the county.
In DeSoto County, which is
much smaller, some 400 stu-
dents didn't register as expect-
ed. Both churches and schools
say families have abandoned
their towns without notifying
those institutions.
"People come looking for
their friends and we tell them
we don't know where they are,"
says Father Ludden of St.
Charles, whose church hasn't
heard from 400 of its 1,966
households since Charley
struck. Among the groups hard-
est hit have been migrant farm
workers, which is why Father
Pacheco's church offers crisis
sessions in Spanish.
Crops were destroyed, leav-
ing many without work. Some
have caught on with roofing and
construction companies, but
counselors all over South Flori-
da say migrants in particular are.
being exploited by landlords,
who have either raised rents or
refused to repair badly dam-
aged, mold. infested housing,
which causes respiratory infec-
tions and other ailments.
Since many migrants are in
the country illegally, they feel
they cannot complain to the
authorities because they will be
detained.
Among those affected were
Antero Montes, 30, and his wife
Maria Vara, 29, who say they
were cheated by an Arcadia
landlord out of $1,165. Montes
said they paid rent for a house,
but instead were given a leaky,
storm-damaged trailer. They
ended up sleeping on the floor
of a damaged overcrowded two-
bedroom house already occu-
pied by eight other people.
Asked if he had reported the
fraud to police, Montes shook
his head.
"We can't do that," he said.
Many migrants normally send
money home to their needy
families in Mexico or
Guatemala, but cannot afford

to do that now because they are
unemployed, which causes them
extra anguish.
The Haitian community of
Fort Pierce is facing similar pain
and frustration. Parts of Haiti
were devastated by Hurricane
Jeanne, some 2,000 people were
killed, and the needs there are
even greater.
"The people in Haiti are
expecting help, but people here
can't send money because they
don't have jobs," says Father
Ducasse Francois of Notre
Dame Church. "The people
here are not only worried about
themselves but they worry very
much about their families there.
It makes things even harder."
Counselors also recount sto-
ries of individuals, especially the
infirm, who are going through
particularly grueling experi-
ences.
Judi Stifel, of Project Hope
in Jupiter, remembers a man in
the late stages of AIDS who
was left homeless by Frances
and Jeanne and had unusual
trouble finding someone who
would take him in due to his ill-
ness.
"He had no home and had
lost his dignity," she recalls. "He
needed someone to listen to
him and give him back some of
that dignity." A neighbor final-
ly took him in.
A couple in their late 50s had
been evicted by their landlord
soon after Hurricane Jeanne
and were forced to live in a
truck belonging to the man's
employer.
"The man took off work one
day to fight the eviction, and he
lost his job and the truck," Stifel
recalls. "How cruel is that?"
Pastor Daniel Schiffbauer of
the Fort Pierce Seventh Day
Adventist Church speaks of an
elderly couple between homes
who had all their belongings in
storage.
"The storage facility was
destroyed, and they lost just
about everything," says Schiff-
bauer. "Photos of their children,
keepsakes, everything. Because
they were between houses, they
had no insurance. That is very
hard."
The counselors and pastors
say some victims have not come
forward, but they are slowly
reaching those who most need
their help, often with door-to-
door campaigns.
But they also worry that
storm-wracked properties will
be redeveloped in a way that
will be too expensive for the
poor to rent and that unem-
ployment will stay high as visi-
tors avoid Florida. It is not clear
where many of this state's poor-
er residents will end up, and
uncertainty is everywhere.
"The storms will have a lot
of long-range, far-reaching con-
sequences that people don't
realize yet," Schiffbauer says.
After months of listening to
tales of loss and confusion, pas-
tors and counselors say they are
starting to hear a different and
troubling tone in some hurri-
cane victims.
"We're seeing a shift in emo-
tions people are going from
shock to anger because they
can't get back to normal," says
Pastor Glenn of Okeechobee.
He and other counselors worry
about the effects of that growing
frustration and anger.
They are trying to convince
storm victims not to lose hope.
Or as a sign outside the
White City United Methodist
Church in Fort Pierce says, try-
ing to reassure its many belea-
guered local residents:
"You are never truly alone."

Damage
(Category Level Description Example)
1 MINIMAL Damage primarily to shrubbery, trees, foliage, and unanchored homes. No real
damage to other structures. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Low-lying coastal roads
inundated, minor pier damage, some small craft in exposed anchorage torn from moorings.
Hurricane Earl (1998)
2 MODERATE Considerable damage to shrubbery and tree foliage some trees blown down.
Major damage to exposed mobile homes. Extensive damage to poorly constructed signs. Some
damage to roofing materials of buildings; some window and door damage. No major damage to
buildings. Coast roads and low-lying escape routes inland cut by rising water two to four hours
before arrival of hurricane centre. Considerable damage to piers. Marinas flooded. Small craft in
unprotected anchorages torn from moorings. Evacuation of some shoreline residences and low-
lying areas required. Hurricane Georges (1998)
3 EXTENSIVE Foliage torn from trees; large trees blown down. Practically all poorly con-
structed signs blown down. Some damage to roofing materials of buildings; some wind and
door damage. Some structural damage to small buildings. Mobile homes destroyed. Serious
flooding at coast.and many smaller structures near coast destroyed; larger structures near coast
damaged by battering waves and floating debris. Low-lying escape routes inland cut by rising water
three to five hours before hurricane centre arrives. Flat terrain five feet or less above sea level
flooded inland eight miles or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences within several blocks of
shoreline possibly required. Hurricane Fran (1996)
4 EXTREME Shrubs and trees blown down; all signs down. Extensive damage to roofing mate-
rials, windows and doors. Complete failures of roofs on many small residences. Complete
destruction of mobile homes. Flat terrain 10 feet or less above sea level flooded inland as far as
six miles. Major damage to lower floors of structures near shore due to flooding and battering by
waves and floating debris. Low-lying escape routes inland cut by rising water three to five hours
before hurricane centre arrives. Major erosion of beaches. Massive evacuation of all residences
within 500 yards of shore possibly required, and of single-story residences within two miles of shore.
Hurricane Andrew (1992)
5 CATASTROPHIC Shrubs and trees blown down; considerable damage to roofs of buildings;
all signs down. Very severe and extensive damage to windows and doors. Complete failure of roofs
on many residences and industrial buildings. Extensive shattering of glass in windows and doors.
Some complete building failures. Small buildings overturned or blown away. Complete destruc-
tion of mobile homes. Major damage to lower floors of all structures less than 15 feet above sea
level within 500 yards of shore. Low-lying escape routes inland cut by rising water three to five
hours before hurricane centre arrives. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground with-
in five to 10 miles of shore possibly required. Hurricane Camille (1969).

Hurricane

Pre1paiedness
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a hurricane you are advised to save an adequate supply of water
for domestic use,

2. Store water in bathtubs or containers.

3. Boil water that has been stored for several days for at least two minutes
to ensure that pollutants are destroyed prior to use,
4. If you are on city supply, listen to the radio for an announcement from
the Department of Environmental Health Services or the Water
and Sewerage Corporation in the event of
municipal supply becomes unsafe for domestic use.
5. Due to the possibility of private wall contamination,
residents using private well systems are advised not
to use the water for potable purposes but wait for the Department
of Environmental Health Services to advise on chlorination treatment.

Home *Auto Commercial Contractor's All Risk
Health Aviation Marine Life

SUNSHINE PLAZA
Baillou Hill Road
Tel: 322-35 1
Fax: 322-3518

S

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THE TRIBUNE

PAGE 21F

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PAGEICANETHEITRIBUNE

HURR 1AN
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MYTH
THE walls of my house are made of solid reinforced concrete,
they're impregnable.
FkACT
A 74 mph wind (the minimum windspeed of a hurricane) has the
ability to drive a piece of 2x4 lumber through a reinforced concrete wall
four inches thick.
Imagine how deadly, faster windspeeds and larger objects can be.
This is one reason why you should never venture outside unless you
have to.
MYTH
YOU should close and board up all doors and windows especially on
the storm side. During a hurricane the doors and windows on the lee
side can be opened to release the pressure.
FACT
NEVER open a door or window during a hurricane. Every door and
window should be closed (and shuttered) for the duration of the
storm.
The difference in pressure between inside your house and outside
during the storm is insignificant because no house is airtight. Hurricane
winds are very turbulent and an open door or window can easily be torn
from its hinges.
MYTH
THE size of a hurricane is an indication of its strength.
FACT
THE extent of the cloud cover surrounding a hurricane bears no rela-
tionship to its strength. Strength is measured according to the maximum
sustained wind speed.
MYTH
FRICTION over land kills a hurricane.
FACT
DURING landfall, the increased friction over land acts in a con-
tradictory manner. It both decreases the sustained wind speed and
increases the intensity of the gusts felt at the surface.
MYTH
A HURRICANE is really a high wind event.
FACT
WIND accounts for about three per cent of a hurricane's energy.
Moisture condensation and rainfall make up most of the rest.
Hurricane-induced flood-related deaths outnumber all the other
hurricane-related fatalities. Sea surges causing severe flooding have
meant that some hurricane evacuees have had to spend more than eight
weeks in emergency shelters.

MYTH
THERE'S only a 50 mph difference between a 100 and a 150 mph
hurricane, so it's not worth panicking about.
FACT
AS wind speed increases the force exerted by the wind grows expo-
nentially. Each time the wind speed is doubled, the force exerted
multiplies by four.
So if you triple the wind speed, the force exerted multiplies by
nine. Therefore when compared to a 50 mph wind, a 100 mph wind has
four times the force and a 150 mph wind has nine times the force.
MYTH
LIGHT candles if the power goes out.
FACT
NEVER use gas or oil lanterns and try not to use candles during a
storm. If you start a fire accidentally, emergency responders may not
be able to attend. Use flash lights or battery-powered lanterns where
possible.
MYTH
WHEN a hurricane strikes it's only the sea surge that causes flood-
ing.
FACT
EVEN though sea surges are historically the biggest killer, far more
people have died inland over the past three decades as a result of flood-
ing triggered by heavy rains associated with hurricanes.
MYTH
IF you live more than half-a-mile inland you don't have to worry
about a sea surge, even if you live at sea level.
FACT
FEW locations are capable of fending off a 10 foot plus sea surge.
Most flood defenses are designed to keep sea water out, so if the
water penetrates the barrier, it has nowhere to go. Canal systems and
lakes offer no protection as they tend to magnify the effects of a sea
surge.
MYTH
THE weather looks okay even though the media are saying that a
Category 4 hurricane will make landfall. When the weather starts to
deteriorate that's the time to evacuate.
FACT
THIS can be one of the most dangerous decisions you make. Storm
paths are unpredictable; waiting until the last minute can leave you with
no place to go to escape a storm's fury. The advice is to gather your pos-
sessions, secure your home and leave as quickly and safely as possible.